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THE 



BIBLE TRIUMPHANT: 



BEIXG 



A REPLY TO A WORK 



ENTITLED 



1U SELF-CONTRADICTIONS of the BIBLE, 



PUBLISHED BY ANDREW JACKSON DAVIS. 



Mrs.(II. vJeeed./^ 

A it 

As God is true, our word towards you was not yea and nay."— Paul. 



U 



HARVARD, ILLINOIS : 
IFTJIBIIlISiaZIEID BIT HI. V". EBBD, 

1S6G. 






THOMAS G. NEWMAK ? PEIKTEK. 



HARVARD, ILLINOIS. 




PREFAC E. 



This work is presented to tlie public with the 
earnest hope that it may he productive of good. 
The pamphlet whichis here reviewed, may appear 
to the thorough Bible student so weak as to need 
no reply. But through the channels of Spiritual- 
ism it has received a wide circulation, and several 
editions have been exhausted in poisoning the 
minds of casual readers against the truths of in- 
spiration. It is considered the strong tower of 
skepticism and has been scattered over the land 
from Maine to California with the highest enco- 
miums of the Infidel press. A contributor to the 
" Herald of Progress" thus writes: " Unless our 
judgment deceives us, the general reading of this 
work would oust from Christendom the last blind 
worshiper of the Bible, the contents of which are 
shown by this little tell-tale, to be a stupendous 
compound of contradiction and error. The most 
studious reader of the Bible will be astonished %nd 
overwhelmed at every step in going over these 
few pages to find how numerous and point-blank 
are the contradictions which fill the hitherto sup- 
posed God-given book." And the " Liberator" 
says : " It is an internal exhibition of the utter 
absurdity of the dogma of plenary inspiration, 
showing as it does at a glance, the multitudinous 
self-contradictions of the Bible, which no ingenu- 
ity of interpretation can reconcile, except that 
which can prove black to be white and white 
black." With such taunts as these the work has 



4 PREFACE. 

been thrown defiantly in the face of the christian 
world — and with a firm faith that " every word of 
God is pure," the defence has been undertaken, 
and so satisfactory are the evidences of the infal- 
libility of God's word, that infidelity itself, must 
believe, if it Ivould only investigate. In the pros- 
ecution of the work, various writers on sacred lit- 
erature have been consulted, and I have endeav- 
ored to properly credit whatever information may 
have been derived therefrom. Valuable sugges- 
tions and criticisms have also been received from 
a few friends, whose services are hereby grateful- 
ly acknowledged. I have certainly endeavored 
to treat the compiler of the following propositions, 
with all due courtesy, and if some of my criti- 
cisms appear severe, be it remembered that they 
are prompted only by a keen sense of justice. 

It is certainly a matter of congratulation to the 
christian world, to know that the man who has so 
insulted God, and violated his word, has enough 
self-respect still, to be ashamed to give his name 
to the public. Hence the compiler is unknown ; 
consequently, the responsibility must rest upon 
the publisher, A. J. Davis. 

To all who are honestly and fearlessly engaged 
in the investigation of Bible truth, and to those 
who are already sufficiently enlightened in the 
knowledge of God, to appreciate the glorious 
truths of His revelation, this little volume is af- 
fectionately dedicated, by 

The Authoress. 



THE BIBLE TRIUMPHANT. 



THEOLOGICAL DOCTRINES. 

1. God is satisfied with His Works.— And God saw everything 
that he had made, and behold it was very good. Gen. 1: 31. 

God is Dissatisfied with Mis TTorJts. — And it repented the Lord 
that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart* 
Gen. G; 6. 

The above is the first specimen of the so- 
called " Self Contradictions of the Bible. 55 — 
Gen. 1: 31, and Gen. 6: 6, are the first martyrs 
to be crucified upon the cross of modern skepti- 
cism. But we trust they can be rescued by a fair 
trial. Does it follow that because God was sat- 
isfied with the workmanship of his hand, in the 
morn of earth 5 s creation, that he must be satisfied 
with all the sin and wickedness of man for 1500 
years thereafter % The text in Gen. 1: 31 ap- 
plies to the period before sin came into the world, 
when the whole physical creation was pure and 
lovely, and Gen. 6: 6 applies to the time when 
the earth was filled with wickedness and crime 
-c-when man stood in open defiance to God and 
his law. And so far as the LGrdV repenting be- 
cause He had made man is concerned, we would 
remark that repentance in the Bible means a 
'•turning from a thing, 55 and agreeable to this 
definition God turned from preserving man on 
the earth and destroyed him by the flood of waters, 
because of his sins against Him. Such repen- 
tance, God has shown in the overthrow of nations 
for their transgressions after having been sus- 



6 THE BIBLE TEItTMPHANT. 

tained by Him until they filled up their cup of 
iniquity. Hence the apparent contradiction is 
harmonized. 



#. God dwells in Chosen Temples.— And the Lord oppeared to 
Solomon by night, and said unto him : I have heard thy prayer, and 

have chosen this place to myself for a house of sacrifice For 

now have I chosen and sanctified this house, that my name may be 
there forever ; and mine eyes and my heart shall be there perpetual- 
ly. 2 Chron. 7: 12. 16. 

God dwells Not in Temples,— Ilowheit the Most High dwelleth 
not in temples made with hands, Acts 7: 48. 

There is not even an apparent incongruity 
here, for 2 Chron. 7: 12, 16 5 does not intimate 
that the Jewish house of sacrifice was the place 
of God's residence but simply as an house ofi sac- 
rifice^ and as having the name and approval of 
God under the legal dispensation of Moses. The 
Queen of Brittain rules the province of the Cana- 
das which is under her control but it does not 
follow that she resides there. This, we think, 
very aptly illustrates the above passage, and must 
to every candid mind obviate the difficulty, if any 
exists. God made the temple at Jerusalem the 
place of sacrifice, and He is represented as hav- 
ing his name and heart there continually, but the 
presumption that therefore he must personally 
dwell there, seems to betray more weakness of 
discernment in our infidel compiler, than contra- 
diction between the texts he has tried to 
artay against each other. 



3* God dwells in Xiglit. — Dwelling in light which no man can 
approach unto. 1 Tim, 6: 18. 

God dtvells in Darkness.— The Lord said he would dwell in thick 
darkness. 1 Kings 8: 12. He made darkness his secret place. Ps. 
18: 11. Clouds and darkness are round about him. Ps. 97: 2, 

The Lord creates both light and darkness, either 



THE BIBLE TRIUMPHANT. 7 

of which may be the dwelling-place of His pow- 
er, and though light eternal surrounds His throne, 
may He not manifest his presence in the " thick 
darkness," or in the cloud of storm ? It may be 
said of man that he dwells in Ugh% and then 
again he dwells in darkness, for each twenty-four 
hours presents these two conditions ; and yet no 
one would infer that there must be a contradic- 
tion, because he thus alternately dwells in each. 
In like manner we may speak relatively of God, 
and say His dwelling place is amid the realms of 
eternal light, but when He manifests his power, 
makes " darkness pavillions round about him,"-— 
See 2 Sam. 22: 12. In order for the skeptic to 
sustain his position, be must show that God 
dwells only in light — then prove He dwells hi 
darkness, but the Scripture will admit of no sucl* 
construction, hence it does not contradict itself, 



4. God is Seen mid JBTecrrcf—And I will take away my han<| 
and thou shalt sec my back parts. Ex. 33: 23. And the Lord spa&e to 
Moses face to face, as a man speaketh to his frie&d. Ex. §3: 11. And 
the Lord called unto Adam, and said unto him, Where art thou?-* 
And he said, I heard thy voice in the garden, and I was afraid.-^ 
<*en.3:9,10. For I have seen God face to face, and my life is pre- 
served. Gen. 32: 30. In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw, also , 
the Lord sitting upon a, throne, high and lifted up. Isa. 6: 1, Then 
went up Moses and Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, and seventy of the 

elders of Israel. And they saw the God of Israel They saw 

God, and did eat and drink. Ex. 24: 9, 10, 11. 

€rod is Invisible, and Cannot be ^Te«:r<f,~Ko HSt$n h&tk seen God 
at any time. John 1: 18 Ye have neither heard his voice, at any 
time, nor seen his shape. John 5: 3T. And he said, Thou canst Tnot 
see my face ; for there shall no man see me and live. Ex. 33; 20.— 
Whom no man hath seen &or can see. 1 Tim. 6: 16. 

If the words Lord and God in the passages 
above quoted, refer directly to the person of the 
Eternal Father, we are free to admit that the in- 
fidel has made out a part of his case, by finding 
one contradiction in the Bible, But if the texts 



8 THE BIBLE ^HIUMPHANf, 

referred to in the Old Testament speak of .the • 
angels of God and not of God himself, then all 
the discrepancy vanishes at once. "We shall 
now show that the Lord seen and talked with 
" face to face" was not the Eternal, but his angel 
— the messenger of his will. The question will 
at once arise why the angel of God should be 
called Lord ? The answer will appear from Ex. 
23: 20, 21. " Behold I send an angel before thee 

beware of him, and obey his voice, 

provoke him not, for he will not pardon your 
transgressions, for my nam^ is m him."— 
Erom this we learn that the angel of God 
bears His name. Hence the Lord that went 
before Israel, and was seen in the bush by Moses, 
and that Moses talked with " face to face" on 
Mount Sinai, was the angel sent forth from the 
presence of Jehovah. In proof of this, we refer 
the reader to Acts 7: 35-38. " This Moses they re- 
fused saying, Who made thee a ruler and a judge ? 
The same did God send to be a ruler and a de- 
liverer, by the hand of his angel which appeared 

to him in the bush This is he that was in 

the church in the wilderness with the angel which 
spake, face to face, to him in the Mount Sinai, 
and with our fathers, who received the lively ora- 
cles to give unto us." From this it is clear that 
the Lord seen by Moses and the elders of Israel 
was the angel of Jehovah, and the same is true of 
the Lord seen face to face by Jacob, (Gen. 32: 30,) 
as the reader will learn by reading Hosea 12: 14. 
" Yea, he (Jacob) had power over the angel and 
prevailed." Plere the Lord that wrestled with 
Jacob, is called by Hosea an angel, and by turn- 
ing back to Gen. 32: 1, 2, it will be seen that 
angels appeared unto Jacob just before he beheld 
God face to face. "And Jacob went on his way 
and the angels of God met him, and when Ja- 
eob saw them, he said. This is God's host," 



THE BIBLE TRIUMPHANT. 9 

&c. From the foregoing quotations we learn 
the following facts : 

1. God put his name in. the angel that he sent 
to do his will, and the angel performed his mis- 
sion in the name of Him who sent him. 

2. The appearances of the Lord, as recorded in 
the Old Testament are the appearances of the 
angel or angels of his presence^ who did visibly 
appear arid tdlk with riieii. iteride all the stip= 
posed discrepancy of the testimony on this point 
is obviated. The New Testament affirms that 
God (Greek " theos") has never been seen by 
man, which we believe is true, and the fact of the 
visible appearance of the angels to Moses and the 
fathers can never be made to oppose this great 
truth, or make the Bible appear contradictory .— 
There is another point which needs a remark, 
befdr£ dismissing this proposition. In Ex. 33: 11, 
it is stated that the Lord talked "face to face" 
With Moses, and in verse 20 the same angel says 
to him, " Thou canst not see my face, for there 
shall no man see me and live." We think, 
however, that a reconciliation may be fairly urged 
from the context. When the angel talked with 
Moses face to face, he did not appear in his glory , 
for after this, Moses entreats the angel talked 
with, saying, " I beseech thee show me thy glo- 
ry." Yerse 18. Now the angel, in whom dwelt 
the name of the Lord, assures him that he will 
cause all his goodness to pass before him, and 
that he will proclaim the name of the Lord ; and 
further informs him that he Will place him in the 
clift of the rock and cause his glory to pass by, 
" but my face," says the aiigel, " shall not be 
seen." Hence Moses could have a diminished 
view of his glory. The solution, therefore, is ap- 
parent, the angel could not allow mortals to see 
his face, in his glory and splendor. The above 
reasoning will, we think, remove the cavil, and 

1* 



10 1'IIE UllJLE tKiBMPtlAftl). 

harmonize with the whole tenor of the chapter.— 
The angel could be seen and talked with, as God's 
messenger while disrobed of his glorious bright- 
ness, but when clad in the splendors of Heaven, 
mortals could not behold him and live. Hence the 
skeptic again fails to make a discord in the testi- 
mony of Revelation. There are minor points in 
the propositions reviewed above, but they are of 
the same character of those already noticed, and 
consequently need no reply at our hands. 

5. God is Tired and Hosts.— For in six days the Lord made 
lieaven and earth, and on the seventh day he rested, and was re- 
freshed. Ex. 31: 17. I am weary with repenting. Jer. 15: G.. 

God is Never tired, and Never Rests.— Hnst thou not heard that 
the everlasting God, the Lord, the Creator of the ends of the earth, 
fainteth not, neither is iccary. Isa. 40: 28. 

The effort here made is purely of a technical 
character, and will need but a few words to ex- 
pose the infidel's cavil. 

In regard to God's vesting and being refreshed, 
we would say that the Don ay Bible gives us a fair 
translation of the passage, " For in six days the 
Lord made heaven and earth, and in the seventh 
day he ceased from work." This view of the text 
at once removes all objections. Jer. 15: 6, " I 
am weary of repenting," does not express the idea 
of physical exhaustion on the part of God, but a 
state of regret for the many sins of his people ; 
whereas Isa. 40: 28 implies that God has ability 
to perform xoitliout exhausting his power. 

The one text (Jer. 15: 6,) alludes to God's 
sympathy with his peoj)le, and his sorrow for their 
disobedience, while the other shows that he is 
able to execute all he has promised. Hence the 
texts are not contradictory. 

6. God is Every iv7iere Present, Sees and Knows all Things. 

---The eyes of the Lord are in every place. Provt 15: 3. Whither snail 



THE BIBLE TRIUMPH AXT. 11 

I flee from thy presence? If I ascend up into heaven, thou art 
there ; if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there. If I take 
the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts-of the 
earth even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand hold 
me. Ps. 130: 7, 10. There is no darkness nor shadow of death, Where 
the workers of iniquity may hide themselves. For his eyes- are up- 
on the ways of man, and he seeth all his goings. Job 34: 22,-21. 

God is Xot everywhere present, Ketther sees nor 'Jcnows nil 

things.— And the Lord came down to seethe city and the town, Gen. 
11: 5. And the Lord said, Because the cry of Sodom and Gomorrah 
is great, and because their sin is very grevious, I will go down now 
and see whether they have done altogether according to the cry of it, 
which is come unto me; and if not, I will know. Gen, 18: 20, 21. ~ 
And Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of th<e 
Lord, amongst the trees of the garden. Gen, £-8, 

The Omniscience of God is a plain doctrine of 
Revelation, and to suppose otherwise is to nndeify 
him, and rob him of his divinity. The skeptic, how- 
ever claims that the Bible is inharmonious on this 
point, inasmuch as it teaches that God is not all- 
wise, and as proof we are referred to Gen. 11: 5, 
Gen. 18: 20, 21, Gen. 3: 8. The most important 
of which we will examine. Gen. 18, 20, 21* may 
be considered the most worthy of notice. The 
Lord here spoken of as coming down to see if 
the cities were as sinful as was reported, &c, has 
reference to the axgels who came down from 
Heaven to inflict judgment upon these wicked 
cities, provided that a certain number of right- 
eous men could not be found therein. This posi- 
tion will appear plain by examining the context, 
and will, we trust, remove the obsdurity. In Gen. 
18: 1, it is stated that "the Lord appeared'' unto 
Abraham, the second verse says Abraham saw 
" three men, 5 '' and in the third verse he addresses 
them as " my Lord." Two of these angels jour- 
ney towards Sodom while one remains, and with 
him Abraham pleads for the saving of the city. — 
The two angels appear in Sodom at even, (Gen. 
12: 1,) and Lot addresses them as "My Lords," 



12 THE BIBLE TRIUMPHANT. 

and in verse thirteen they make known to Lot 
their mission in these words, " For we will de- 
stroy this place, because the cry of them is waxen 
great before the face of the Lord, and the Lord 
hath sent us to destroy it," see also verses 15 
and 16. Hence the Lord here spoken of had di- 
rect reference to the angels of God who came 
down from Heaven to execute the judgment of 
Jehovah. 



7. God knows the^JSearts of Men.— Thou, Lord, Which knowest 
the hearts of men./ Acts 1: 24. Thou knowest ray down-sitting and 
mine up-rising ; thou understandest my thought afar off. Thou 
compassest my path and my lying down, and art acquainted with all 
my ways. Ps.l39:2, 3. 

God tries Men to find out wJiat is in their Hearts. — The Lord 
your God, proveth you, to know whether ye love the Lord, your God 
with all your heart and with all your soul. Deut. 13: 3. The Lord 
thy God led thee these forty years in the wilderness, to humble thee, 
and to prove thee, to know what was in thy heart, Deut. 8; 2. For 
now I know that thou fearest God, seeing that thou hast not with- 
held thy son, thine only son, from me. Gen. 22: 12. 

This proposition does not indicate a contradic- 
tion, neither has the infidel compiler so stated it 
as to make it appear incongruous. For God may 
know the hearts of all men, which is the truth, 
and he may wish to try them, not indeed to sat- 
isfy himself, but to make examples of his people 
in order to prove to the w r orld the certatnty of 
truth, and to show his faithfulness in all his prom- 
ises ; we shall therefore dismiss this without fur- 
ther notice. 



8. God is All-powerful.- Behold, I am the Lord, the God of all 
flesh ; is there anything too hard for me? Jer. 32: 27. With God all 
things are possible. Matt. 19: 26, 

God is Not All-powerful.— And the Lord was with Jadah, and ho 
drove out the inhabitants of the mountain ; but could not drive out 
the inhabitants of the valley, because they had chariots of iron.— 
Judg. 1: 19. 



THE BIBLE TRIUMPHANT* 13 

That God is Omnipotent, we most heartily be- 
lieve, and that he is able to fulfill all he has spo- 
ken, we claim to be the basis of ail true faith. — 
But the skeptic brings forward Judg. 1: 19, to 
prove that God was so deficient in power that he 
could not even drive out the inhabitants of the 
valley because they had " iron chariots ;" but a 
grammatical examination of the text will show 
that the antecedent of the pronoun " he" is not 
Jehovah, but Judah. It does not follow that be- 
cause the Lord assisted Judah under many cir- 
cumstances, that therefore he would be with Ju- 
dah in all his undertakings. It was therefore 
Judah, not Jehovah, who could not drive them 
out of the valley in consequence of their iron 
chariots. The Douay* Bible translates it much 
plainer than King James' version. It reads as 
follows : " And the Lord was with Judah, and he 
(Judah) possessed the hill country, but was not 
able to destroy the inhabitants of the valley, be- 
cause they had many chariots armed with scythes." 

The above leaves no room for doubt, for the 
same one who possessed the hill country was the 
one that failed to obtain the valley, and it is clear 
that this was Judah; 



9. God is Unchangeable.— With whom is no variableness, nei- 
ther shadow of turning. Jam. 1:17. Fori am the Lord; I change 
not. Mai. 3: 6. I, the Lord, have spoken it ; it shall come to pass 
and I will do it. I will not gd back, neither will I spare, neither will 
I repent. Ezek. 24: 14. God is not a man that he should lie neither 
the son of man that he should repent. Num. 23: 19. 

God is Changeable.— And it repented the Lord that he had made 
man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart. Gen. 6: 6. And 
God saw their works, that tliey .turned from their evil way ; and God 
repented of the evil that he Had said he would do unto them, and he 
did it not. Jonah 3:10. Wherefore the Lord God of Israel saith, I 
said, indeed, that thy house, and the house of thy father, should 
walk before me forever ; but now the Lord saith, Be it far from me 

Behold, the days come (liat I will cut off thine arm, and the 

arm of thy father's house. 1 Sani. 2i 30, 31. In" those days was Heze- 



14 fSE BIBLE TlliCMPIlAXT. 

kiah sick unto death. And the prophet Isaiah, the son of Aino7. t 
came unto him, and said unto him, Thus saith the Lord, set thy 

house in order; for thou shalt die, and not live And it came to 

pass afore Isaiah was gone out into the middle court, that the word 
of the Lord came unto him, saying, Turn again and tell Ilezekiah, 

the captain of my people, thus saith the Lord, I have heard 

thy prayer, and I will add unto thy days, fifteen years. 2 Kings 

20; 1, 4-6. And the Lord said unto Moses, Depart and go up hence» 

thou and the people. , For I will not go up in the midst of thee' 

And the Lord said, I will do this thing, also, that thou hast 

spoken ,»My presence shall go with thee, and I will give thee rest. 

Ex. 33:1, 3, 17,11. 

God lias stated in the Scriptures Ills purpose in 
regard to some tilings, concerning which he will 
never repent or change, his course of action, 
anions: these we may mention Xmn. 23: 19. Ba- 

CD */ , 

lak tried to get Balaam to curse Israel, but the 
prophet each time blessed Jacob instead of curs- 
ing him, and at last he assured Balak that God 
would not repent, or turn from blessing Israel. — 
Hence Balak failed in his endeavor to have the 
Lord turn from and act in opposition to his word. 
On the other hand there are things of which 
God promises to repent, if the people confess 
their sins and turn to him. For he declared by 
the mouth of Jeremiah, that " If that nation 
against whom I have pronounced, turn from their 
evil way, I will repent of, or turn from the evil I 
thought to do unto them." Jer. 18: 8. And 
this was fulfilled when the people of Nineveh 
turned from their sins, for God then repented of 
tlie evil he had pronounced against them and did 
it not. But this by no means proves that the Bi- 
ble contradicts itself. God repented that he had 
made man, that is he turned from preserving him 
upon the earth and destroyed him by the flood of 
waters. We might notice other points in the 
above proposition, but we trust that the reader 
will at once see the principle on which they all 
harmonize. God or man may make promises 



TIJK BIBLE TRltMPHAXT. 15 

which they will not repent of, or turn from, and 
again they may promise certain things on condi- 
tions, and yet no one would accuse them of in- 
consistency in this respect. If the reader will 
examine the above texts in their connection, he 
will see that the compiler of the little work be- 
fore us has totally ignored the principles of reason 
and justice. 



10. God is Just and Impartial.— the Lord is upright and 

there is no unrighteousness in him. Ps.92: 15. Shall not the Judge 
of all the earth do right ? Gen. 18: 25. A God of truth, and without 
iniquity, just and right is he. Deut. 32: 4. There is no respect of 
persons with God. Rom. 2: 11. Ye say the way of the Lord is not 
equal. Hear now, house of Israel ; is not my way equal ? Ezek. 
18: 25. 

God is Unjust and Partial. —Cursed be Canaan ; a servant of ser- 
vants shall he be unto his brethren. Gen. 9: 2-5. For I, the Lord thy 
God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the 
children unto the third and fourth generations. Exo. 20: 5. For 
the children being not yet born, neither having done any good or 
evil, that the purpose of God, according to election, might stand, 

it was said unto her, The elder shall serve the younger. As it 

is written, Jacob have lloved, and Esau have I hated. Rom 11: 12, 
13. For whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall havo 
more abundance; but whosoever hath rot, from him shall be taken 
away even that he hath. Matt- 13: 12. 

It is true that God is upright and holy, and that 
he is just and righteous. It is also true that with 
Him " there is no respect of persons," but he has 
respect for character and goodness. As to the 
curse which fell upon Canaan, it was a prophecy of 
the woe which would follow the sinful conduct of 
the Canaanites as a nation, for the curse never fell 
on Canaan personally. This prophecy did not 
'create \\\q servitude of the nation, but simply fore- 
told what would come to pass in the future, and 
it was literally fulfilled. Exo. 20: 5, shows that 
Grod is jealous for the welfare of his people, and 
also that fathers and children who practice ini- 



16 THE BIBLE TRIUMPH ANT. 

quity, will alike meet with judgments from the 
hand of God. The text does not teach that the 
fathers do all the sinning and escape judgment, 
while the children do not sin and still receive the 
punishment due their fathers. The idea of the 
text is, that fathers and children would all he pun- 
ished for practicing iniquity. The reference to 
Jacob and Esau is purely national, meaning the 
two people, or their descendants — one doing the 
will of God, and the other disobeying his word. 
In proof that the reference is national, and not 
individual, please read Gen. 25: 22-23. 

We now ask the reader in the light of the fore- 
going facts, if the skeptic has sustained his prop- 
osition that God is unjust or unrighteous I We 
think there is no way of makilig the Bible ap- 
pear at variance with itself, except by thus wrest- 
ing a few sentences from their proper connection, 
and a few words of explandtibil Will ftt all times 
expose the infidels' hatred for God's WUrcL 



11. God is the Author of Evil.— Out of the mouth of the Most 
Highproceedeth not evil and good ? Lam. 3: 38. Thussaith the Lord, 
Behold I frame evil against you and devise a device against you.— 
iter. 18: 11. I make peace and create eiHh I the Lord do all these 
things. Isa. 45: 7. Shall there Be evil iii the city, and the Lord hath 
not done it? Anids 3": 6. Wherefore I gave them also statutes 
that were not gOod, and judgments whereby they should not live.— 1 
Ezek. 20: 23: 

tHodis JS r ot the Autlior of JEvil. — God is not the author of con- 
fusion. 1 Cor. 14. 33. A God of truth and without iniquity, just and 
right is he. l3eut. 32: 4. For God cannot be tempted with ferili nei- 
ther tempteth he any man, Jas. 1: 13; 

The word evil has two meanings in the Bibl& 
It means punishment, and also sin. "When it 
says that God creates evil, it merely conveys the 
idea that he executes judgments. When it states 
that man does evil, it is a record of his sins 
against God. This will be plainly seen by read- 



THE BIBLE TRIUMPHANT. 17 

ing 1 Kings 16: 25, 30. Job 2: 10. Isa. 45: 7.— 
(See Cruden.) 

We conclude on tliis point, therefore, that 
though God inflicts evil upon the wicked for their 
sins, still the Judge of all the earth will do right. 



12. God gives Freely to tlwsc who Ask.— If any of you lack 
wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men freely and up- 
braideth not, and it shall be given unto him. James 1: 5. For every 
one that asketh receivcth and he that seeketh findeth. Luke 11: 10. 

God Withholds His JBlessings and Prevents Men from Receiv- 
ing Them.— He hath blinded their eyes and hardened their hearts 
that they should not see with their eyes, nor understand with their 
hearts, and be converted, and I should heal them. John 12: 40. For 
it was of the* Lord to harden their hearts, that they should come 
against Israel in battle, that he might destroy them utterly, and that 
they might have no favor, Josh 11: 20. Lord, why hast thou 
made us to err from thy ways and hardened our heart ? Isa. 63: 17. 

That God gives freely to those who ask of him, 
is true, providing they do not " ask amiss ;" theu 
they receive not. 

The infidel wishes to make it appear in opposi- 
tion to the above position, that God intentionally 
blinded the eyes of the Jewish nation, lest they 
should embrace Christ, and refers to John 12: 40, 
as proof. This however fails him, for it does not 
happen to be a decree that the Jews must reject 
Christ, but a prophecy of Isaiah's showing that 
they would reject him. Hence the passage is alto- 
gether misapplied. See Matt. 13: 14. 

The reference to Josh. 11: 20, is to those wick- 
ed nations that fought against Israel, and the 
Lord overthrew them for their hatred to his 
cause and to his people. Isa. 63: 17, and its con- 
nection shows that Israel had forsaken God, and 
when they pleaded for forgivness, he returned to 
them in the plentitude of his mercy. These texts 
therefore, cannot be forced to antagonize other 
parte of God's word. 



18 THE BIBLE TRIUMPHANT. 

13. God is to be Found by those who Seelc Him. — Everyone 
that asketh receiveth, and he that seeketh findeth. Matt. 7: 8.— 
Those that seek me early shall find ine. Prov. 8: 17. 

God is Not to be Found by tJiose Who Seek Him.— Then shall 
they call upon me but I will not answer ; they shall seek me early 
butshalltte^find me. Prov, 1: 28. 

Matt. T: 8, and Prov. 8: 17, refer to the period 
of offered mercy. Whereas, Prov. 1: 28, refers 
to the time after mercy ceases to be offered and 
judgment about to be executed. This will be 
seen by reading the verses preceding and follow- 
ing. " When your fear cometh as desolation, and 
your destruction cometh as a whirlwind : when 
distress and anguish cometh upon you, Then shall 
they call upon me but I will n ot answer ; They shall 
seek me early but they shall not find me ; for that 
they hated knowledge and did not choose the fear 
of the Lord." Prov. 1: 27-29. The connection 
cited above, relieves the text from all obscurity, 
and takes the objection from the over-anxious 
infidel. 

14, God is WarliJce.--The Lord is a man of war. Exo. 15:3.— 
The Lord of Hosts is his name. Isa. 51: 25. 

God is Peaceful.— The God of peace. Rom. 15: 33. God is not the 
author of confusion but of peace. 1 Cor. 14: 33. 

The Lord is a man of war to all his enemies, 
and a God of peace to all who obey him. He is 
a God of wrath to his foes, and of goodness to his 
children. Were it not that the skeptic was deter- 
mined to find just 144 contradictions of the Bible, 
he would never have inserted the above. 



15, God is Cruel, Unmerciful, Destructive and Ferocious,--! 

will not pity nor spare, nor have mercy, but destroy. Jer. 13: 14. And 
thou shalt consume all the people which the Lord thy God shall de-. 
liver thee; thine eye shall have no pity upon them. Deut. V: IS 
Now go and smite Amalek, and utterly destroy all that they have, 
and spare them not, but slay both man and woman, infant and suck* 



THE BIBLE TBHIMPHAISTT. ^19 

ling. 1 Sam. 15: 2, 3. Because they had looked into the ark of the 
Lord, even he smote of the people fifty thousand, and three score 
and ten men. 1 Sam. 6: 10. The Lord thy God is a consuming fire. 
Deut. 4: 24. 

God is Kind, Merelfttl and Good. The Lord is very pitiful and 
of tender mercy. Jam. 5: 11. Forhedoth not afflict willingly, nor 
grieve the children of men. Lam. 3: 33. For his merey endureth 
forever. 1 Chron. 16: 34. I have no pleasure in the death of him 
that dieth, saith the Lord God. Ezek. 18: 32, The Lord is 1700c? to 
all, and his tender mercies are over all his works. Ps. 145: 9. Who 
will have all men to be saved, an$ to come unto the knowledge of 
the truth. 1 Tim. 2: 4. God is love. 1 John 4: 16. Good and upright 
is the Lord. Ps. 25: 8. 

It lias ever been the boast of Infidel wri- 
ters, that the God of the Bible is cruel and un- 
merciful, and the texts brought forth in the first 
part of the above proposition, are ever quoted to 
sustain this idea. If the reader will take the 
trouble to examine the passages referred to, in 
their connection, he will see that thev all allude 
to the judgments of God falling upon wicked na- 
tions, for their sins against him. In Jer. 13: 14, 
God proposes to destroy the nation of Israel from 
the land, because they had sinned with a high 
hand, and trampled on his holy law, but before the 
threatened judgment was executed, he offered 
tlieriL pardon and forgiveness if they would turn 
unto Him and cease to pervert his ways. Hence 
this text is purely of a judicial character, and can- 
not be made to sustain the skeptic's attack. Deut. 
7: 16, alludes to those nations that were vindictive 
enemies to God's people, and he commanded Is- 
rael to destroy them. This also was a judgment 
visited upon the sinful, and therefore founded in 
justice. The same is true of 1 Sam. 15: 2, 3. — ■ 
Amalek had done much evil to the people of Is- 
rael when they were in the wilderness, killing 
those that lingered behind in their march, that 
were fatigued and weary, &c. And for these acts 
of hostility, God had decreed the overthrow of 



20 THE BIBLE TRIUMPHANT. 

the Amalekites, and the time now came for its 
execution. But why, it will be asked, did God 
decree the destruction of women and helpless in- 
fants ? "We answer, it was a judgment upon a na- 
tion, and as such it fell upon all. It was so in 
the days of the flood, and so of Sodom and Go- 
morrah. Indeed, the infidel who blames the "God 
of the Bible," and boasts of his " God of Na- 
ture," is in a worse difficulty than this, for lus 
God buries millions by earthquakes and volcanoes, 
many of whom are innocent women and helpless 
babes. His acts are not deserved judgments for 
sin, but they come without warning or mercy, 
upon the innocent and helpless. But, says the 
infidel, they transgressed a physical law, ana must 
suffer its penalty. So we say of those nations. 
They transgressed a moral law, and they suffered 
its penalty. The infidel sees no cruelty in his 
" God of Nature" visiting families by disease, by 
famine and pestilence, taking all the little ones 
from affectionate parents ; he sees no injustice in 
his " God of Nature," in executing the penalty of 
violated law. Yet if the God of the Bible inflicts a 
judgment upon a nation of sinners, he is fright- 
ened, and exclaims cruelty! ! unmerciful! fero- 
cious ! ! ! Header be not deceived. It is clone to 
lead you from the God of truth, who does all things 
for the best, for tfye good of man, and for H.is own 
glory. 

16. God's Anger is Fierce and Endures Zona.— And the 

Lord's anger was kindled against Israel, and he made them wander 
in the wilderness/or^ years until all the generation that ha4 done 
evil in the sight of the Lord was consumed. Num. 3?: 13. And the 
Lord said unto Moses, Take all the heads of the people and hang 
them up before the Lord against the sun, that the fierce anger of the 
theLord may be turned away from Israel. Num. 25: l f For I have 
kindled a fire in mine anger which shall burn forever. Jer. 17: 4. 

God's Anger is Sloiv and JEndures but for d Moment.— The 
Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger an,d plentious in mercy. 
Ps. 193; 8, His anger endureth but a moment. Ps. 30; 5. 



THE BIBLE TRIUMPHANT. 21 

INTum. 32: 13, is cited, to convey the idea that 
the Lord's anger against Israel continued for forty 
years. But the words of the text only imply that 
they were made to wander in the wilderness forty 
years, because of their sins against Jehovah. It 
marks the duration of the punishment, instead of 
God's anger. He was angry with them for their 
sins, and pronounced upon their guilty heads the 
decree of punishment, but no rational man would 
therefore conclude that God's anger lasted until 
His decree was fulfilled. ivum. 25: 4, simply 
speaks of the "fierce anger" of Jehovah, with- 
out reference to its duration. There is surely no 
inconsistency here* Gad is " slow to anger, and 
plenteous in merciy," but when his wrath is kin- 
dled by man's rebellion, it may be " fierce," al- 
though it " endureth but a moment." Jer. 17: 4, 
is a mis-quotation The Bible reads, "For ye 
have kindled a fire in mine anger which shall 
bum forever." Even our infidel compiler must 
admit that this correction makes a "material" 
change in the ide&< He must either be very care- 
less or very dishonest, who conveys the idea that 
it was God who kindled the fire. Our correction 
removes all obscurity from the text,- fat no gram- 
marian can for a moment suppose that it is God's 
anger which is to burn forever, when the Word so 
plainly states that it is the fire which JrDAn had 
kindled. 



17. God Commands, Approves of, and Delights in Burnt 
Offerings, Sacrifices, and Holy Days.— Thou shalt offer every 
day a bullock for a sin offering for atonement. Ex, 29: 36. On the 
tenth day of this seventh month, there shall be a day of atonement . 
it shall be a holy convocation unto you, and ye shall afflict your 
souls and offer an offering made by fire unto the Lord. Lev. 23: 27. 

And thou shalt burn the whole ram upon the altar; it is a 

sweet savor ; an offering made by fire unto the Lord. Ex. 29: 18.— 
And the priest shall burn it all on the altar to be a burnt sacrifice, 
nn oflcring made by fire, of a sweet savor unto the Lord. Lev, 1: 9. 



22 THE BIBLE TRIUMPHANT. 

God Disapproves of, and has no pleasure in them.— For I 

spake not unto your fathers, nor commanded them in the day that I 
brought them out of the land of Egypt, concerning burnt offerings 
or sacrifices. Jer. 7: 22. Your burnt offerings are not acceptable, nor 
your sacrifices sweet unto me. Jer. 6: 20. Will I eat of the flesh of 
bulls, or drink the blood of goats? Offer unto God thanksgiving, 
and pay thy vows unto the Most High. Ps. 50: 13, 14. Bring no more 
vain oblations; incense is an abomination unto me; the new moons 
and sabbaths, the calling of assemblies I cannot away with ; it is in- 
iquity, even the solemn meeting To what purpose is the mul- 
titude of your sacrifices unto me? saith the Lord. I am full of the 
burnt offerings of rams, and the fat of fed beasts, and I delight not in 
the blood of bullocks, or of lambs, or of he goats. When ye come to 
appear before me, who hath required this at your hand. Isa. 1: 13, 
11, 12. 

Under the dispensation of tlie law, God com- 
manded and approved of sacrifices and burnt of- 
ferings, but there was a time when the Jews de- 
pended alone upon burnt offerings to find favor 
with God, while they neglected and even despised 
his other requirements. Hence, in Jer. 7: 22, we 
find a strong idiom of the original Hebrew which 
does not show that God holds sacrifices in con- 
tempt, but that there are other things which he ap- 
preciates more highly ; the true elipsis of the text 
expressed in our tongue is the following: " For I 
spake not unto your Fathers, nor commanded 
them {alone) .... concerning burnt offerings and 
sacrifices." This idea is fully explained by the 
following verse, "But this thing commanded I 
them saying, Obey my voice (in all things, not 
merely in relation to burnt offerings) and I will 
be your God and ye shall be my people ; and 
walk ye in all the ways that I have commanded 
that it may be well unto you." See 1 Sam. 15: 22, 
" Behold to obey is better than sacrifice, and to 
hearken than the fat of rains." 

Ps. 50: 13, 14, expresses the same idea, viz : — 
That thanksgiving and the fulfilment of their 
vows were more acceptable to the Lord of hosts 
than even the burnt offerings of the Mosaic dis- 



THE BIBLE TEIUMFHAKT. 28 

pensation. Jer. 6:20, and Isa. 1:13, 11:12, 
are fully explained by the context. It is the re- 
fusal of Jehovah to accept offerings from those 
who had rebelled and gone far from His com- 
mands. These are the. declarations of the Most 
High that sacrifices are not acceptable from those 
who continually work iniquity. Had the skeptic 
read the whole of the two chapters, he has here 
quoted from, he could not honestly have cited these 
texts as contradictions of God's law. 



IS. God Accepts Human Sacrifices.— The king (David) took 

the two sons of Rizpah..., and the five sons of Michal ; and 

he delivered them into the hands of the Gibeonites, and they hanged 
them in the hill before the Lord And after that God was en- 
treated for the land. 2 Sam, 21: 8, 9 f 14. And he (God) said, Takeno\r 
thy son, thine only son Isaac whom thou lovest, and get thee into 
the land of Moriah, and offer him there for a burnt offering. Gen. 22: 
2. And Jephthah vowed a vow unto the Lord, and said, If thou shalt 
without fail deliver the children of Aminon into my hands, then it 
shall be that whosoever conieta forth ol the doors of my bouse to 
meet me when I return in peace from the children of Ammon, shall 
surely be the Lord's, and I will offer it up for a burnt offering. So 
Jephthah passed over unto the children of Ammon tofight against 
them; and the Lord delivered them into his hands And Jeph- 
thah came to Mtzpeh unto his house and behold, his daughter came 

out to meet him And he sent her away for two months; and 

she went with her companions and bewailed her virginity upon the 
mountains. And it came to pass at the end of two months that sho 
returned unto her father, who did according to his vow which he had 
made. Judges 11: 30, 31, 32, 34, 38, 39. 

God Forbids Human Sacrifice.— Take heed to thyself that thou 
be not snared by following them [the Gentile nations;] for eve- 
ry abomination to the Lord which he hateth have they done unto 
their gods; for even their sons and their daughters have they burnt 
in the fire to their gods. Deut. 12: 30, 31. 

The enemy of the Bible can produce no evi- 
dence that the act of David recorded in 2 Sam. 
21, (and which the context greatly mitigates,) or 
the rashness of Jephthah, was acceptable to God. 
Why does he assume that which he must know 



2-i THE BIBLE TRIUMPHANT. 

he cannot prove ? That he should quote Gen. 
22: 2 to sustain his proposition betrays more weak- 
ness than we expected to find, even in the ranks 
of skepticism. Has he never read the touching 
history of Abraham and Isaac — or does he sup- 
pose his readers to be ignorant of the patriarchs' 
trial, and the glorious triumph of his faith on the 
sacred brow T of Mount Moriah ? It is a golden 
record of the love of that God w r ho pitieth them 
that fear him$ " as a father pitieth his children." 
Timely the God of Heaven " forbids human sac- 
rifice." 



19, God Temjyh Men.— And it came to pass, that God did tempt 
Abraham, Gen; 22: 1. And again the anger of the Lord was kindled 
against Israel, and he moved David against them to say. Go num- 
ber Israel and Judah. 2 Sam, 24: 1. Lord, thou hast deceived 
(marginal reading, enticed) me, and I was deceived (enticed.) Jer. 
20: 7. Lead us not into temptation. Matt. G: 13. 

God ^tempts JS T o Man.— Let no man say when he is tempted, I am 
tempted of God ; for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither 
tempteth he any man. James 1: 13. 

In Gen. 22: 1, it declares that " God did tempt 
Abraham," It is the preface to the history of 
God's trial of his faithful servant, and the word 
which is translated tempi is the Hebrew word 
" nah-sah" and the literal rendering of it is, " to 
try, to prove any one, — to put him to the test," 
(see " Gesenius' Hebrew Lexicon," page 676.) — 
Hence God tested Abraham, and the patriarch's 
faith was proved to be as bright as molten gold. 
The fiery trial only served to purify and strength- 
en his faith in the living God, and the record still 
burns upon the sacred page in all its ancient beau- 
ty — a glorious example for God's children in all 
ages. 

The next text under consideration is 2 Sam. 
24: 1, and this is grossly misrepresented, the 
Bible reads," and he (Satan, se^ margin,) moved 



THE BIBLE TlUOIPlIANT. 25 

David," so it was Satan- and not Jehovah that 
moved David to number Israel. Cannot the 
skeptic see the difference % 

The word rendered " deceived or enticed" in 
Jer. 20: 7, is "pah-iha" which Gesenius defines 
thus, " to persuade any one," and refers to this 
very text as an illustration of the term. Hence 
the passage in question might be literally ren- 
dered "Thou hast persuaded me, and I was en- 
ticed, (see Gesenius, page 875.) The text " Lead 
us not into temptation" is thus translated by Ma- 
Knight, " Abandon us not to temptation." And 
this surely gives a correct idea of the verse in 
question. Ilence we repeat, " Let no man say 
when he is tempted, I am tempted of God," 



20. God Cannot Zle*—lt is impossible for God to lie. Heb. 6: 18. 
(rod JAes by Proxy ; J£e sends forth Trying Spirits to De~ 

eelve. — For this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they 
should believe a lie. 2 Thess. 2: 11. Now, therefore, behold, the 
Lord hath put a lying spirit in the mourti of all these thy prophets, 
and the Lord hath spoken evil concerning thee. 1 Kings 23: 22,— 
And if the prophet be deceived when he hath spoken a thing, I the 
Lord have deceived that prophet. Ezek. 14: 9. 

None of the texts quoted above implicate God 
in a falsehood. 

The facts are, that God permitted certain things 
to be done, which resulted in Judgments upon 
the sinful. He permits strong delusion to come 
upon those who reject his truth, as in 2 Thess. 
% 11. And in the case of the King who w r ould 
not believe God's prophets, we find that lying 
spirits were allowed to fill the mouths of the 
prophets of Ahab. Not indeed that God sanc- 
tioned lying, but as Ahab had rejected his truth, 
and would not receive His prophets, therefore ly- 
ing spirits were permitted to lead him on to cer- 
tain destruction. It must however be borne in 
mind that from the 19th verse to the 24th, is a 

2 



26 THE BIBLE TRIUMPHANT, 

a recital of a vision of the prophet, and not by 
any means to be understood literally. It is true 
that God is represented in the Bible as doing 
things, which he only permits, this however, is 
common to Scripture phraseology. " In Matt. 8: 
32, the Lord Jesus is represented as commanding 
the devils to go into the herd of swine " and he 
said unto them go." Now if we consult the pre- 
ceding verse we will perceive that the devils had 
first actually " besought him ;" therefore the ex- 
pression go was used merely to signify his com- 
pliance with their urgent request, and therefore, 
was used purely permissivelif" See Dr. Sleigh's 
Def. Die. 



21. Because of Man's Wiclcedness God Destroys Him.— 

And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and 
that every imagination of the thoughts of Ms heart was only evil 

continually , And the Lord said, I will destroy man whom I 

have created. Gen. 6: 5, 7. 

Because of Man's Wiclcedness God mill Wot destroy Jiim.— 

And the Lord said in his heart, I will not again curse the ground 
any more for man's sake; for the imagination of man's heart is evil 
from his youth ; neither will I smite any more every living thing, — 
Gen. 8: .21. 

There is not even a semblance of error here, for 
Gen. 6: 5, 7 shows that God will destroy the wick- 
ed. But Gen. 8: 21 is a promise that God will 
curse the ground no more, nor destroy every liv- 
ing thing. This does not say, however, that he 
will no more destroy the wicked, for he could easily 
destroy the sinners of earth without destroying 
every living thing. Skeptics should be more care- 
ful and not wrest the Scriptures, nor contradict 
their own ideas of language and good sense, for 
they claiii} to be models of consistency. 

22. God's Attributes are Jtevealed in His Worlds. — For the 

invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly 



THE BIBLE TRIUMPHANT, 27 

seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eter- 
nal power and Godhead. Rom. 1: 20. 

God's Attributes Cannot be Discovered,— Canst thou by search- 
ing find out God? Job 11: 7. There is no searching his understand- 
ing. Isa. 40: 28. 

Were it not that this proposition is in the se- 
ries, we should pass it by without comment, for 
it certainly needs charity to even think the infidel 
candid in the above quotations. The Apostle in 
Rom. 1 : 20 is showing that a knowledge of 
God's existence and providence can be clearly 
learned by the physical creation, or as the Psalm- 
ist says, " The heavens declare the glory of God 
— the firmament showeth his handywork." — Psa. 
19 : 1. The w T hole Universe proclaims a God, 
infinite in power, wisdom and righteousness. But 
with this display of His glory and majesty we cannot 
find Him out to perfection, and if the skeptic had 
quoted the whole verse in Job 11:7, he would 
have answered his own cavil. We will here 
quote it, so that the reader can see how beauti- 
fully the Bible explains itself: "Canst thou, by 
searching, find out God ? Canst thou find out 
the Almighty unto perfection?" This at once 
takes from the infidel the apparent discrepancy 
.which was made by garbling Job 11 : 7. Noth- 
ing can ever be gained by misrepresenting any 
author, unless it is a had reputation. 



23. TJierc is but One God.— The Lord our God is one Lord.— 
Deut. 6: 4. 

There is a Plurality of Gods. — And God said, Let us make man 
in our image. Gen, 1: 26. And the Lord God said, Behold the man 
is become as one of us. Gen. 1:26. And the Lord appeared unto 

him (Abraham) in the plains of Mamre And he lifted up his 

eyes and looked, and lo, three men stood by him; and when he saw 
them he ran to meet them from the tent door, and bowed himself 
toward the ground, and said, My Lord, if now I have found favor in 
thy sight, pa3S not away, I pray thee, from they servant. Gen. 18: 1, 
2, 3. For there are three that bear record in Heaven, the Father, the 
Word : and the Holy Gboat. 1 John fc 7. 



28 THE BIBLE TEIUMPHANT. 

The one-ness of tlie Eternal Father is every- 
where taught in the Holy Writings. Truly we 
can say our God is one. But this by no means 
implies that the word God always means the 
same Eternal Spirit. It is applied to idols and to 
men in many places in the Holy Scriptures, as the 
reader will see by examining a Concordance. — 
The word God also is applied to the His angels. 
In Gen. 1 : 26 it is said : " And God said, let us 
make man in our image." The word here trans- 
lated God, is, in the Hebrew, " Elohim," and is 
the same word translated gods in Gen. 3 : 5. 

The word Elohim is plural, and is applied to 
the angels of the Eternal Spirit, who bear the 
name of Him who sent them. 

In order to satisfy the reader that the above is 
true, we will give one ease in point. In Psa. 97 : 
7, it is said of Christ, "Worship Him, all ye 
gods." And Paul in quoting this text in 
Hebrews 1 : 6 ':* gives it thus : " Let all the angels 
of God worship Him." Hence, Gen. 1: 26, 
where the plural form is used, applies to God's 
angels, who came to do his will in the creation of 
man. The Deity can, at pleasure, empower his 
angels to perform His will, and what He 
does, by or through them, he does himself. Aftey 
man sinned, the " Elohim " says, " the man has 
become as one of us, to know good and evil." — 
Hence all these plural forms of the pronouns find 
their solution in the word " Elohim," which is 
also plural, and in many cases they have also the 
verbs agreeing with them in numbers. We can- 
not believe tliat the Deity personally came to 
earth, and performed all the acts ascribed to Him, 

But as we have before seen, the Deity has put 
his name in the angels who do his will on earth. 
This position is fairly illustrated in Gen, 18; 1 3 

* Barnes' Notes on Hebrews 1 \ e. 



THE BIBLE TRIUMPHANT. 29 

2, 3, which the skeptic quotes above to falsify the 
Bible, but which in reality tends to harmonize its 
difficulties. In this case the three angels which 
meet Abraham, he calls " My Lord." Hence 
this very text takes from the infidel his chief 
weapon of attack. So far as 1 John 5: 7 is con- 
cerned, we w r ould remark that the three which 
bear record in heaven are, the Father, w r ho is the 
one Deity, and the Word which was made flesh 
by the Deity, and dwelt among men ; and the 
Holy Spirit which proceeds forth from the (one) 
Father and the (one) Son. And as to the three 
being one, we would say, they are one as far as 
the bearing of the record is concerned, (as the 
sense of the text implies,) but not " one God," 
which would ignore the sense of Divine Revela- 
tion. We therefore conclude that these passages 
are fairly explained by the Scriptures themselves ; 
and had the compiler of " Self-Contradictions " 
been as zealous in learning the Scriptures as he 
lias been in trying to find discrepancies in them, 
he would not now be found fighting against God. 

We now dismiss chap. 1st and appeal to the 
candor and good sense of the reader to decide 
whether there is one proposition fairly sustained 
by the infidel who wishes to destroy confidence 
in the blessed Bible, so that he may sow rank 
weeds of a heartless and unholy philosophy in 
the minds of men. May the God of the Bible 
smile upon the writer and reader, and may his 
truth lead us into the Way of Life and the 
glories of Eternity. 



MORAL PRECEPTS. 

24. Robbery Commanded.— When ye go, ye shall not go empty; 
but every woman shall borroio of her neighbor, and of her that so- 
journeth in her house, jewels of silver, and jewels of gold, and rai- 
ment : and ye shall put them upon your sons, and upon your daugh- 
ters : and ye shall spoil the Egyptians. Ex. 3: 21, 22. And they 
borrowed of the Egyptians jewels of silver, and jewels of gold, and 
raiment ..And they spoiled the Egyptians, Ex. 12: 35, 36. 

Mobbery Forbidden.— Thou sh&lt not defraud thy neighbor, neith- 
er rob him. Lev. 19: 13. Thou Shalt not steal. Ex. 29: 15. 

Infidels in every age of the world have taken 
advantage of the fact that God commanded the 
Israelites to carry with them, when they left the 
land, a part of the wealth which nominally be- 
longed to the Egyptians. Cannot even a skeptic 
see the justice of this ? Has he never read of the 
long years during which Israel toiled without 
recompense ? Has he never heard of the wealth 
which, they amassed for their Egyptian masters r t 
Or vjhy does he accuse the God of Heaven, of 
injustice, when he commands Israel to take a 
small portion of their own earn ings. Truly ' ' thou 
shalt not defraud thy neighbor ;" but Israel had 
been defrauded for ages, and because Israel's 
God takes from the Egyptians a portion of their 
ill-gotten spoils, and returns it to those who 
earned it, — those weak and puny men who dare 
to sit in judgment upon the acts of Jehovah, have 
set up the cry of "Kobbery!" Oh! humanity, 
where is thy shame ? 



25. Jjying Approved and Sanctioned. — And the woman 
(Rahab) took the two men and hid them and said thus : There came 
men unto me, but I wist not whence they were: and it came to 
pass about the time of shutting of the gate, when it was dark, that 
the men went out; whither the men went T wot not; pursue after 



THE BIBLE TRIUMPHANT. 31 

theui quickly, for ye shall overtake them. But she had brought 
thera up to the roof of the house and hid them with the stalks of 
flax, Josh. 2: 4, 5. 6. Was not Rahab the harlot justified by works, 
when she had received the messengers, and had sent them out an- 
other way ? James 2: 25. And the king of Egypt called for the mid- 
wives, and said unto them, Why have ye done this thing, and have 
saved the men-children alive ? And the midwives said unto Pha- 
raoh, Because the Hebrew women are not as the Egyptian women : 
for they are lively, and are delivered ere the midwives come in unto ' 
them. Therefore God dealt well with the midwives. Ex. 1: 18, 20.-- 
And there came forth a spirit, and stood before the Lord, and said, I 

will persuade him I will go forth and be a lying spirit in the 

mouth of all his prophets. And he said, Thou shait persuade him 
and prevail also ; go forth and do so. 1 Kings 22: 21, 22. 

Joying Forbidden.— Thou shalt not bear false witness. Ex.20: 16. 
Lying lips are an abomination to the Lord. Prov. 12: 22. All Hare 
shall have their part in the lake that burneth with fire and brinv- 
stone. llev. 21; 3, 



Iii proposition 25 the great Author of all truth 
is accused of approving and sanctioning lying. — 
The case of Bahab is cited, and James 2: 25 is 
quoted to prove that she was justified/or lying. 
Truly this couclusion is " far-fetched " when the 
text says she was justified by works, because 
" she had received the messengers and sent them 
out another way." She was "justified for what 
she did and not for what she said. The next 
case is that of the midwives, whom the king of 
Egypt commanded to destroy all the male chil- 
dren of the Hebrews. " But the midwives feared 
God and did not as the king of Egypt command- 
ed, but saved the male children alive .... There- 
fore, (because they feared God rather than man,) 
God de alt well with the midwives. ' ' Their defence 
before the king when reproved for their course, is 
another matter. God did not " deal well " with 
them as a reward for what they told the king, but 
for their good works in saving the children alive. 

But how does the infidel know that what they 
told the king was false ? It still remains to be 
proven that they were guilty of falsehood at all 



32 THE BIBLE TKICMFilANT. 

Indeed it is more than likely in the light of His- 
tory and Physiology that the midwives told the 
truth in respect to the hard-working daughters of 
Israel. For a reply to 1 Kings 22 : 21-22, see 
the harmony of Prop. 20. 



26, Hatred to Hie FdoniUe Sanctioned,— He (Amaaiali) slew of 

Edom, in the valley of Salt, ten thousand „„ And he did that 

which was right in the sight of the Lord. 2 King3 14: 7, 3. 

Hatred to tJie Fdomite Forbidden.— Thou shalt not abhor an 
Edomite, for he is thy brother, Beut. 22: 7. 

Prop. 26 is certainly the most bare-faced and 
dishonest misrepresentation that we have ever 
seen. In this instance the infidel is obliged to 
quote the Bible backwards, skipping four verses 
at a time, in order to prove his position. 

It is evident that he has a very difficult case on 
hand this time. lie quotes 2 Kings 14 : 7, " He 
slew of Edom in the valley of salt ten thousand," 
and then skips backwards four verses, where the 
account of the king's reign begins, and quotes 
w r hat was said of that monarch while he was inno- 
cent of any marts blood; viz., that " He did that 
which was right in the sight of the Lord." Thus 
every principle of truth and honor — every senti- 
ment of candor and fairness is sacrificed to prove 
that a God of justice has sanctioned crime. We 
can use no language sufficiently strong^ in condemn- 
ing such palpable dishonesty. 

27. Killing Commanded.— Thus saith the Lord God of Israel, Put 
every man his sword by his side, and go in and out from gate to gate 
throughout the camp, and slay every man his brother, and every 
man his companion, and every man his neighbor. Ex. 32; 27. 

Killing Forbidden.— Thou shalt not kill, Ex. 20: 13. 

^ The skeptic here quotes Ex. 32: 27 to prove 
that God has commanded murder. This is a 
record of one of the severest judgments of Jeho- 



THE fclBLE TRIOIPHAXT. 33 

vali upon a people who had repeatedly trampled 
upon his laws and defied his power — they had 
sinned in the face of his mercy and rebelled in 
the midst of his fatherly care. Therefore, he 
pronounces upon their guilty heads the penalty of 
death. The tender hearted skeptic appears to be 
opposed to capital punishment. The laws of 
America forbid murder, but capital punishmhnt is 
still in force for the worst of crimes, and because 
it is thus inflicted, does it follow that the statutes 
of our country contradict themselves, and that they 
sanction murder, by hanging; a criminal? The 
infidel's idea of justice (if indeed he has any,) ap- 
pears to he strangely perverted. 



2$. Tlie Blood- sheddet* Must Die*— At the hand of every man's 
brother will I require the life of man. Whoso sheddeth man's blood, 
by man shall his blood be shed. Gen. 9: 5. 6. 

The JBlood-shedder tnust Not Die, — And the Lord set a mark up- 
on Cain, le3t any finding him should kill him. Gen. 4: 15. 

This is another specimen of " skipping back- 
wards," in order to manufacture a contradiction. 
He quotes the law which pronounces the penalty 
upon murder in Gen. 9, and then goes back five 
chapters and quotes the 4th chapter to prove that 
God violated His own law, sixteen hunched and 
fifty -five years before it was ever made! J J Such 
brazen efforts to garble the Bible must excite the 
pity of every candid reader. 

29. The Malting of Images Forbidden.— Thou shalt not make 
unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of anything that is in 
the heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath. Ex. 20: 4. 

TJie Malting of Images Commanded.— Thou shalt make two 

cherubim of gold « And the cherubim shall stretch forth their 

wings on high, covering the mercy seat with their winga, and their 
facesjshall look one to another. Ex. 25: 18, 20, 

In Exodus 20: 4 men are forbidden to make 



34 THE BIBLE TIUUMPHANT. 

"unto themselves" any graven image — that is, 
they are commanded to worship nothing which is 
made by their own hands ; and in Exodus 25, 
where w T e find the instructions relative to the 
building of the Ark of the Covenant it reads, 
"Thou shalt make two cherubims of gold," &c. — 
The first command forbids the ivorship of images, 
the second sanctions the creation of a beautiful 
symbol over the "mercy seat" of Jehovah. It 
was made " unto" God, and not " unto them- 
selves." It was not the object of worship, but 
the beautiful type of a glorious future ! Cannot 
the Deity forbid the worship of idols, and at the 
same time permit his people to erect the golden 
symbols of his love and mercy without contradict- 
ing Himself, and violating Ilis own law? 



SO. Slavery and Oppression Ordained, — Cursed be Canaan: 
a servant of servants shall he be unto his brethren. Gen. 9: 25. Of 
the children of the strangers that do sojourn among you, of them 

shall ye buy They shall be your bondmen forever ; but over 

your brethren of the children of Israel, ye shall not riile ivith rigor. 
Lev. 25: 45, 46. I will sell your sons and daughters into the hands of 
the children of Judah, and they shall sell them to the Sabeans, to a 
people afar off ; for the Lord hath spoken it. Joel 3: 8. 

Slavery and, Oppression Forbidden >— Undo the heavy bur- 
dens Let the oppressed go free br&ak every yoke. Isa. 58: 

6. Thou shalt neither vex a stranger, nor Oppress him. Ex. 22: 27, — 
lie that stealeth a man, and sellcth him, or if he be found in his hand, 
he shall surely be put to death. Ex. 21: 16. Neither be ye called w«8- 
tors. Matt. 23; 10. 



We now come to the 30th problem of the Infi- 
dels' Arithmetic, for the work we are reviewing is 
the text-book of nearly every skeptic in the land. 
In -this instance, God is charged with ordaining 
slavery and oppression. Gen. 9: 25 is simply k 
prophecy of what would come to pass in the fu- 
ture ; it is not a decree of what shall be. Lev. 
25: 45, 46 is go w r ell explained by the following 



THE BIBLE TRIUMPHANT. 35 

note from Dr. Cheever, that we insert it entire.— 
He says : 

" Let ns now read along with this, the passage 
in Lev. 25: 40, relating to the heathen servant or 
servants coming from the heathen nations into 
Judea for employment, and engaged under the 
same jubilee-contract* the forever contract, as in 
the preceding instance of the Hebrew servant so 
engaged. It reads thus : ' Ye shall take them as 
an inheritance for your children after you, to in-^ 
herit a possession ; ye shall serve yourselves with 
them forever.' As we have said, the phraseology 
is almost exactly the same in the last clause, define 
ing the extent of the contract with the heathen 
servant, as in the clause in Exo. 21: 6, which de- 
fined the extent of the contract with the Hebrew 
servant ; the word forever, being used in both 
cases, and used with the same meaning, that is of 
a contract extending till the jubilee, The Word 
bondman or bondmen, is iwt used in either pas- 
sage, though our translators have chosen to put it 
in the text, in the passage applying to the heathen, 
but without the least authority or reason for so 
doing. Instead of saying they shall be your bond- 
men forever, the passage simply says, just as con- 
cerning the Hebrew servant in Exodus, ' they 
shall serve you forever ;' that is they shall be your 
servants for the longest period admitted by your 
laws for any service or contract, even till the ju- 
bilee. And as engaged by such contract, and paid 
on such terms, ye do take them and may take 
them, as an inheritance for your children after 
yovi,for any part of the term of service unexpired, 
when you the head of the family, are taken 
away from your household. Then these servants 



* According to the Bible laws, all servants were released 
from their servitude at the end of each period of 50 years , 
or jubilee-periods, for proof of which please read the who!© 
of the 25th chapter of Lev. 



36 THE BIBLE TIUUMPHAKT, 

by you engaged and paid for an apprenticeship, 
till the jubilee, shall be for your children to inher- 
it as a possession— the possession of their time 
and sendee, which by your contract With them, 
as rightfully belong to your children as to you, un- 
til the stipulated period comes to an end. That 
is the jubilee contract, the forever-contract. The 
passage in Ex. 21: 6, is absolute demonstration in 
regard to this matter. 

" And thus are all the refuges of lies swept 
away, by which the advocates of slavery, (assert- 
ing that the heathen were slaves to the Hebrews, 
■or could be held as such,) endeavor to make men 
believe that slavery is sanctioned by the law of 
God. See " God against Slavery," pages 156-7. 

Joel 3: 8, is a prophecy of God's judgments 
lipon the enemies of his people : " And they have 
cast lots for my people, and have given a boy for 
a harlot, and sold a girl for wine, that they might 
drink. Yea, and what have ye to do with me, O 
Tyre and Ziclon, and all the coasts of Palestine, 
Will ye render me a recompense, and if ye rec- 
ompense me, swiftly and speedily will I return 
your recompense upon your own head ? Because 
ye have taken my silver, and my gold, and have 
carried into your temples my goodly pleasant 
things. The children also of Judah, and the 
children of Jerusalem, ye have sold unto the Gre- 
cians, that ye might remove them far from their 
border. Behold I will raise them out of the 
place whither ye have sold them, and will return 
your recompense upon your own head. And I 
will sell your sons and your daughters into the 
hand of the children of Judah, and they shall 
sell them to the Sabeans, to a people far off, for 
the Lord hath spoken it." 

It was the recompense returned upon their own 
heads, hecaAise they had sold the children of Judah 
into bondage, they must undergo the same punish- 



THE BIBLE TRIUMPHANT. 37 

ment they had put upon God's people. Every 
candid reader will acknowledge the justice of this 
penalty. 

31. Improvidence Enjoined.— Consider the lillies of the field, 

how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin If God so 

clothe the grass of the field shall he not much more cloth you ? 

Therefore, take no thought, saying. What shall we eat? or 

What shall we drink? or Wherewithal shall we be clothed ? 

Take no thought for the morrow. Matt. 6: 28, 31, 34. Give to every 
man that asketh of thee, and of him that takethaway thy goods, ask 

them not again And lend, hoping for nothing again, and your 

reward shall be great. Luke 6: 30, 35. Sell that ye have and give 
alms. Luke 12: 3. 

Improvidence Condemned.— But if any provide not for his own, 
and especially for those of his own house, he hath denied the faith, 
and is worse than an infidel. 1 Tim. 5: 8. A good man leaveth an 
inheritance to his childrens' children. Prov. 13: 22. 

The two texts which seem to oppose each other 
in the above, are Matt. 6: 31, 34, and 1 Tim. 5: 
8. McKnight's translation from the original 
Greek, obviates the difficulty. " Therefore, say 

not anxiously .... what shall we eat, &c Be 

not then anxious about the morrow .... sufficient 
for the day is its own trouble." Matthew and 
Luke teach us to trust in Him who feedeth the 
ravens, while Timothy and Proverbs urge us not to 
become indolent, for we " must work while the day 
lasts." Surely there is no contradiction here. — ■ 
While we are instructed to be industrious, and 
economical in the expenditure of our means, we 
are to avoid anxiety, in reference to the future 
supply of our wants, for if we seek first the King- 
dom of God and His righteousness, all these 
things shall be added unto us. 

32. Anger Approved.— Be ye angry and sin not. Eph. 4: 26. 

Anger Disapx>roved.—BQ not hasty in thy spirit to bo angry: for 
anger resteth in the bosom of fools. Eccl. 7: 9. Make no friendship 
with an angry man. Prov. 22: 24. The wrath of man worketh not 
the righteousness of God, James 1: 20. 



p8 THE BIBLE TFvIUMriTAXT. 

Ephesians 4: 26 is thus rendered by Belsham. 
"If ye be angry, yet sin not," and in this version 
he is sustained by Wakeiield, Newcome, Bowyer, 
JBeza, and Grotius. 

The words, says Dr. Whitby, are not a com- 
mand to be angry, but a caution to avoid sinful 
anger, hence all apparent discrepancy is obviated. 

33. Good Worlcs to be Seen of Men.— ^Let youf* li^bt So shine 
before men, that they may see your good works. Matt. 5: 18. 

Good Worlcs Kot to be Seen of Men.— <fake heed that ye do not 
your alms before men, to be seen of them. Matt. 6; 1. 

To the casual reader, these passages might ap- 
pear inharmonious, especially as the skeptic has 
left out an important part of the first text. The 
beauty of the passage will be seen by quoting it 
entire. " Let your light so shine before men that 
they may see your good works, and glorify ydur 
Father which is in Heaveii." 

In Matt. 5: 16, we are tatight to let the light of 
truth so shine, that nieh may be constrained to 
glorify God. Whereas, Matt. 6: 1, forbids the 
giving of alms, for the purpose of being seen of 
men, that we may receive the praises of the mul- 
titude. Truly, 



"God i§ bis own interpreter, 
And He Will make it plain." 



The harmony of the text teaches us to work 
with reference to the glory of Grod, instead of our 



own glorv. 



34. Judging of others Forbidden. — Judge not, that ye be not 
judged. For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged.— 
Matt. 7: 1, 2. 

Judging of others Approved.— T)e> ye not kiiow that the saints 
shall judge the world ? And if the world shall be judged by you, are 
ye unworthy to judge the smallest matters? Know ye not that we 
shall judge angels? How much more things thatTpertain to this 
life? If, then, yo have judgments of things pertaining to this life. 



TTTE BTCTJE TIIIUMPITAXT. 39 

set them to judge who are least esteemed in the church. 1 Cor. 6: 2. 
3,4. Do not ye judge them that are within? 1 Cor. 5: 12. 



The points of discrepancy which are made to 
appear in the above passages, are derived purely 
from wresting them from their context. The text 
in Matt. 7: 1, 2, has specific reference to a rash con- 
demnatory spirit, which Jesus here highly repre- 
hends, and warns his disciples against indulging 
in any course so unjust and wrong. 

1 Cor. C: 2— A, refers to the period of the mil- 
lennial reign of Christ when the saints will be 
joint rulers with him, executing the judgments of 
Jehovah upon the ungodly and the sinners against 
God's law, " and at which time they will be seat- 
ed on thrones of judgment, and reigning on the 
earth as " Kings and Priests" with Christ. In 
proof of this, read in connection with 1 Cor. 6: 
2, 4, Ps. 149: 5-9; Eev. 5: 9, 10; Matt. 19: 28; 
Rev. 20: 4-6 ; Dan. 7: 13, 14, 18, 21, 27. The 
last text quoted by the infidel, is 1 Cor. 5: 12. — 
A simple reading of the passage with its connec- 
tions, will satisfy the reader that it has reference 
to excluding from christian fellowship., those who 
are unworthy the name of Christ. In the light of 
these facts we would ask the candid reader where 
the skeptic has any ground for offering these pas- 
sages, as opposed to each other. But we have 
had, ail d probably shall continue to have, occasion 
to expose many cases equally palpable and unjust. 



3J. CJirlst taught Xon^resistance.— Resist not evil, but whoso- 
ever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also. 
Matt. 5: 39. All they thut take the sword shall perish with the 
sword. Matt. 2G: 52. 

Clirist Taught and Practised Physical Resistance.— He that 
hath no sword, let him sell his garment and buy one. Luke 22: 36.— 
And when he had made a scourge of small cords, he drove them all 
out.of the temple. John £; 15. 



40 THE BIBLE TRIUMPHANT. 

Agreeable to Matt. 5: 39, we are taught not to 
avenge ourselves or resist evil. The promotion 
of the christian religion does not depend upon 
carnal weapons nor the sword. The skeptic how- 
ever, would have it appear that because Christ 
instructed his disciples just before he was taken 
and crucified, to sell their garments and buy 
swords, &c, that he taught physical resistance. — 
Whereas, the truth is, that when informed that 
there were two swords, he said they were enough. 
But they were not enough if they were to have a 
combat and resist those sent to take him, but they 
were enough for the purpose for which Jesus 
wished them, and that was to practically illustrate 
his mercy and kindness, for when Peter cut off 
the servant's ear, Jesus rebuked him for his rash 
act, and healed the bleeding wound. Hence from 
this circumstance we learn that Christ was a prac- 
tical example of his own teaching. We conceive 
the foregoing to be all that it is necesary to 
notice. 



36, Christ Warned his followers not to fear being hilled, — 

Bo not afraid of them that kill the body. Luke 11: i. 

Christ himself avoided the Jews for fear of being hilled, — 

After these things Jesus walked in Galilee ; for he would not walk 
in Jewry, because the Jews sought to kill him. John 7: 1. 

Luke 12: 4, (not 11: 4, as above quoted,) is 
simply an exhortation to fear God rather than 
man. It teaches that we are not to shape our 
conduct to please the world, but to obey the com- 
mands of Grod, fearless of man's opposition, for 
"I, even I, am he that comforteth you, who art thou 
that thou shouldst be afraid of a man that shall 
die, and of the son of man which shall be made 
as grass, and forgettest the] Lord thy Maker 
that hath stretched forth the heavens and laid the 
foundations of the earth." 



THE BLBLK TEIUMFHAXT. 41 

Jolm 7: 1, is an evidence simply that Christ 
Bought to preserve his own life until the time 
came for him to be offered up. Did he not give 
up his life cheerfully, when the horn* was come ? 
He was a willing sacrifice for our sins. His blood 
was spilled even for those who are spending time 
in villifying His pure character, and charging the 
Son of God with falsehood. We may search in 
vain amid the records of the dark ages for ingrat- 
itude so base and black as this, which thus blots 
the pages of modern civilization. 



37. Public Prayer Sanctioned.— And Solomon stood before the 
altar of the Lord in the presence of all the congregation of Israel, 
and spread forth his hand toward heaven. (Then follows the prayer.) 
And it was so, that when Solomon had made an end of praying all 
this prayer and supplication unto the Lord, he arose from before the 
altar of the Lord, from kneeling on his knees, with his hands 

spread up to heaven And the Lord said unto him, I have heard 

thy prayer and thy supplication that thou hast made before me.— 
1 Kings 8: 22, 54, and 1 Kings 9: 3. 

Public Prayer Disapproved.— When thou prayest thou shalt not 
be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the syn- 
agogues, and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of 

men But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and 

when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret. 
Matt. 6: 5, 6. 

The only text that seems to require any explan- 
ation in the above, is Matt. 6: 5, 6, and this is 
simply a record of the conduct of that class 
which is still represented in the 19th century, by 
those who make long and flowery speeches upon 
their knees, that they may be admired of men, 
and in opposition to this course, the disciples are 
admonished to secret prayer. 
: God's children are not forbidden to pray before^ 
men. Jesus, our great exampler, prayed before 
the multitude at the grave of Lazarus, and his fol- 
lowers may also thus acknowledge God before 
men, but we are forbidden to pray );ot the purpose 



42 THE BIBLE TKIUMPIIANT. 

of being seen of men, as well as to make long 
prayers for a pretence. Our instructions then by 
both precept and example, are, not to be ashamed 
of God or afraid to acknowledge before men our 
dependence upon Him. And as our great High 
Priest prayed before the multitude, we who try to 
follow his footsteps may do likewise. But we 
are also to remember that the most frequently 
sought solitude wherein to converse with the Most 
High, so also the great burden of the christian's 
prayer is in secret — in the closet or in the chamber, 
where God alone can hear and approve, and we 
have the promise of an open reward. Prayer 
is our only means of communion with the Most 
High. He has communicated with us by his 
word, but we only commune with him through 
the means which he himself has ordained for our 
benefit. And surely we cannot neglect this, our 
greatest earthly privilege. 



38. Importuning in prayer Commended.— Because this wid- 
ow troubleth me, I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she 
weary ine. ........ And shall not God avenge his own elect, which cry 

day and night unto him? Iiukel8; 5, 7. Because of his importunity 
he will rise and give him as many as he needeth. Luke 11: 8. 

Importunity in prayer Condemned. — But when ye pray, use 
not vain repetitions as the heathen do; for they think that they shall 
be heard for their much speaking. Be ye not therefore like unto 
them ; for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of before 
ye ask him. Matt. 6: 7, 8. 

* This proposition is so similar that it scarcely 
needs a reply. Earnestness and constancy of 
prayer are commended, while we are admonish- 
ed not to use "vain repetitions, as the heathen 
do." The wise man says, be not rash with thy 
mouth, and let not thine heart be hasty to utter 
any thing before God, for God is in Heaven and 
thou upon earth, therefore let thy words be few." 
Hence, we are to approach the Majesty of the 



THE BIKLE TRIUMPHANT, 43 

skies with becoming reverence ; we are to avoid 
the customs which the heathen adopt in addres- 
sing their gods; for an illustration of which 
please see the worship of Baal, as recorded in 1 
Kin^s 18: 26-29. 



39. TJie wearing of Long Hair by men Sanctioned. — And no 

razor shall come on his head ; for the child shall be a Nazarite unto 
God from the womb. Judg. 13: 5. All the days of the vow of his 
separation there shall no razor come upon his head ; until the days 
be fulfilled in which he separateth himself unto the Lord, he shall 
be holy, and shall let the locks of the hair of his head grow. Num. 
6:5. 

The wearing of Long Hair by men Condemned. — Doth not 
even nature itself teach you, that if a man have long hair, it is a 
shame unto him ? 1 Cor. 11: 14. 

This only needs a simple remark to obviate all 
difficulty. We will state for the information (?) 
of the skeptic, that many customs and practices, 
which were sanctioned by the old Mosaic law, 
passed away and were rendered obsolete by the 
termination of that dispensation. Hence his 
quotation from the New Testament of a declara- 
tion which was made long after the fulfillment of 
the law, bears no evidence against the customs of 
the previous dispensation. 

40. Circumcision Instituted.— This is my covenant which ye 
shall keep between me and you and thy seed after thee : Every 
man child among you shall be circumcised. Gen. 17: 10. 

Circumcision Condemned. — Behold, I Paul, say unto you, that 
if ye be circumcised, Christ shall profit you nothing. Gal. 5: 2. 

The infidel has made precisely the same mis- 
take here that he made in the previous proposi- 
tion. Circumscision was instituted in the days of 
Abraham, and incorporated into the Mosaic law, 
which was nailed to the cross, for " Christ is the 
end of the law." So Paul was right when he 
said, "that if ye be circumcised, Christ shall 



4:4c THE BIBLE TRIUMPHANT. 

profit you nothing ;" for to conform to the re- 
quirements of a law which he had rendered obso- 
lete, was virtually, the rejection of him as the 
Messiah. 



41. The Sabbath Instituted.— Remember the Sabbath day to 
keep it holy. Ex. 20: 8. 

The Sabbath Repudiated.— The new moons and sabbaths, the 
calling of assemblies, I cannot away with ; it is iniquity. Isa.! 1: 13. 
One man esteemeth one day above another: another esteemeth eve- 
ry day alike. Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind,— 
Bom. 14: 5. Let no man therefore judge you in meat or drink, or 
in respect of a holy day, or of the new moon; or of the sabbath days. 
Gal. 4: 5. 

The keeping of the seventh day, as holy time, 
was also instituted under the law and sanctioned 
by Jehovah in the Jewish dispensation. Isa. 1: 13 
is addressed to a class of persons who had sinned 
so fearfully before the Lord, that their sacrifices 
were vain oblations, and their incense was an 
abomination unto Him. Therefore, He saith, 
u Bring no more vain oblations — incense is an 
abomination unto me — the new moons and Sab- 
baths'—the calling of assemblies — I cannot away 
with — it is iniquity, even the solemn meeting. — - 
Your new moons and your appointed feasts my 
soul hateth." They had sinned until even their 
worship was offensive to Deity, for " The prayers 
of the wicked are an abomination to the Lord." — 
Hence He says, " When ye spread forth your 
hands, I will hide mine eyes from you ; yea, 
when ye make many prayers, I will not hear. — 
Your hands are full of blood." Does not this 
sufficiently explain why their new moons and 
Sabbaths were distasteful to God? But the 
keeping of the seventh day passed away with the 
law of which it was a component part. It is well 
to devote one day in the seven exclusively to the 
worship of God. The disciples met on ihe t $rst 



THE BIBLE TRIUMPHANT. 45 

day of the week, and it was also hallowed by 
the resurrection of our Lord. Hence we recog- 
nize this as the day of worship, but there is now 
no law of God which commands us to observe 
the Mosaic Sabbath. Hence Kom. 14: 5, and 
Gal. 4: 5 are to the point. 



49. T?ie Sabbath instituted because God rested on the Sev- 
enth day,— For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the 
sea, and all that in them is, and rested on the seventh day ; where- 
fore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and hallowed it. Ex. 20: 11. 

TJie Sabbath instituted beacause God brought the Israelites 
out of Egypt,— And remember that thou wast a servant in the land 
of Egypt, and that the Lord thy God brought thee out thence 
through a mighty hand and a stretched out arm : therefore the Lord 
thy God commanded thee to keep the Sabbath day. Deut. 5: 15. 

Any close observer will see at once that there 
is no want of harmony here. Ex. 20 : 11 
shows why " the Lord blessed the seventh day and 
hallowed it," and Deut. 5 : 15 shows why He 
commanded Israel to keep the Sabbath day, after 
it was instituted. So there is not even the sem- 
blance of a contradiction here. Comment is 
unnecessary. 



43, No Work to be done on the Sabbath under penalty of 
death, — Whosoever doeth any work on the Sabbath day, he shall 
surely be put to death. Ex. 31: 15. And they found a man that 
gathered sticks upon the Sabbath day And all the congrega- 
tion brought him without the camp and stoned him with stone3, and 
he died: as the Lord commanded Moses. Num. 15:32,36. 

Jesus Christ Broke the Sabbath and Justified his Disciples in 
the same,— Therefore did the Jews persecute Jesus, and sought to 
slay him, because he had done these things on the Sabbath day — 
John 5: 16. At that time Jesus went on the Sabbath day through 
the corn : and his disciples were a hungered, and began to pluek the 
ears of corn, and to eat. But when the Pharisees saw it they said 
unto him, Behold, thy disciples do that which is not lawful to do up- 
on the Sabbath day. But he gaid unto them Have ye not read 

in the law, how that on the Sabbath days the priests in the temple 
profane thelSabbatb, and are blameless? Matt. 12;. 1, 2, 3, 5, 



40 THE BIBLE TRIUMPIIAXT. 

The Son of God is here accused of violating 
the Sabbath, and we answer the charge in the 
words of Jesus himself, " The Sabbath was made 
for man, and not the man for the Sabbath. There- 
fore the Son of Man is Lord aim of the Sabbath" 



44, Haptism Commanded,— Go ye therefore and teach all na- 
tions, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and 
of the Holy Ghost. Matt. 28: 19. 

Haptism Not Commanded,— J?or Christ sent me not to baptize, 

but to preach the gospel IthankGod that I baptized none of 

you but Crispus and Gaius. 1 Cor. 1: 17, 14. 

The infidel here quotes the commission for 
baptism and then takes advantage of the words of 
Paul and tries thereby to nulity the commission. 
This logic is so weak that it does not deserve any 
answer. Suppose Paul did not receive an es- 
pecial commission to baptize, does that prove that 
Jesus gave no such commission to any one ? — 
Shame upon such pitiful objections to God's 
word ! 



45, Every kind of Animal allowed for food, — Every moving 
thing that liveth shall be meat for you. Gen. 9: 3. Whatsoever is 
sold in the shambles that eat. 1 Cor. 10: 25. There is nothing un- 
clean of itself. Rom, 14: 4, 

Certain kinds of Animals Prohibited for food, — Nevertheless, 
these shall ye not eat, of them that chew the cud, or of them that divide 
the cloven hoof; as the camel and the hare, and the coney : for they 
chew the cud, but divide not the hoof: therefore, they are unclean 
unto you, And the swine, because it divideth the hoof, yet cheweth 
not the cud.it is unclean unto you ; ye shall not eat of their flesh, 
nor touch their dead carcass. Deut. 14: 7, 8. 



This is one of those propositions that needs no 
reply, but the fact that they belong to the series, 
crowds them upon our notice, so we will simply 
remark that Gen. 9 : 3 refers to a period eight 
hundred and ninety-seven years (according to the 



T1IK BIBLE TBIUMft&AN?. 47 

best chronology we have) before that law against 
the use of certain meats was enacted. 

Deut. 14: 7-S is a record of the enactment of 
that law. And 1 Cor. 10: 25, and Eom. 14: 14 
were written, the one twenty-nine, and the other 
thirty years after the law was abolished. We 
think this explanation must prove satisfactory, 
even to an infidel. 



46. The talcing of Oaths Sanctioned.— If a man vow a vow 

unto the Lord, or swear an oath to bind his soul with a bond, he 
shall not break his word : he shall do according to all that proeeed- 
eth out of his mouth. Num. 30; 2. Now, therefore, swear unto me 

by God And Abraham said, I will swear Therefore, he 

called the place Beersheba, (the well of the oath ;) because there 
they sware both of them. Gen. 21: 23, 23, 25, 31. And Jacob sware 
by the fear of his father Isaac. Gen. 21: 35. Because he (God) could 
swear by no greater, he sware by himself. Heb. 6: 13. 

The Talcing of Oaths Forbidden. — But I say unto you, swear 
not at all, neither by heaven for it is God's throne ; neither by the 
earth for it is his footstool. Matt. 5: 14. 

Oaths were allowed under the old dispensation, 
and forbidden under the new. Had the skeptic 
been aware of the fact that Christ was the end of 
the law and honest enough to acknowledge it, it 
would have saved us jnuch useless labor, 



47. Marriage Approved.— And. the Lord God said, it is not good 
that the man should be alone: I will make a help-meet for hiin.— : 
Gen. 2: 18. And God said unto them, Be fruitful and multiply and 
replenish the earth. Gen. 1; 28. For this cause shall a man leave 
father and mother and shall cleave unto his wife. Matt. 19: 5. Mar- 
riage is honorable in alj. Heh. 13: 4. 

Marriage Disapproved.— It is good for man not to touch a wo- 
man. 1 Cor. 7: 1. For I (Paul) would that all men were even as I 
myself. It is good for them if they abide even as I. 1 Car, 7: 



The compiler of the work before us here 
quotes Paul to nulify the marriage covenant, but 
he has, as usual, misrepresented the text and vili- 



48 THE BIBLE TIUUMPHAJS'f. 

fied its author. 1 Cor. 7: 1 so far from disap- 
proving of marriage is actually addressed to 
married people, as the whole connection shows. — 
The 7th and 8th verses are addressed to widows 
and widowers, " I say therefore, to the unmar- 
ried and widows, it is good for them if they abide 
even as I." The word "unmarried" in the 
above text is againoi and applies to those who 
have lost their companions, "It is good for 
them if they abide even as I." That is, it was good 
for them to remain in a widowed state, for ac- 
cording to the best historical evidence we can 
get, Paul was at this time a widower. The prev- 
alent idea that Paul was a bachelor has no founda- 
tion, either in his epistles or in history. JEusebkis, 
demerit and other authentic historians speak of 
him as a married man. 



48, Freedom of Divorce Permitted. — When a man hath taken 
a wife and married her, and it came to pass that she found no favor 

in his eyes, then let him write her a bill of divorcement, and 

give it in her hand, and send her out of his house. Deut. 2i: 1. — 
When thou goest out to war against thine enemies, and the Lord thy 
God hath delivered them into thy hands, and thou hast taken them 
captive, and seeest among the captives a beautiful woman and hast a 

desire unto her, then thou shalttake her home to thy house;.... 

and after that thou shalt go in unto her and be her husband, and she 

shall be thy wife And if thou have no delight in her, then thou 

shalt let her go whither she will; but thou shalt not sell her at all 
for money ; thou shalt not make merchandize of her. Deut. 21: 10, 
11,14. 

Divorce Restricted. — But I say unto you, that whosoever shall 
put away his wife, saving for the cause of fornication, causeth her to 
commit adultery. Matt. 5: 32. 



The reader will see at once that the texts quo- 
ted in Deuteronomy, refer to the Mosaic Dispen- 
sation, and that in Matthew is the law of Christ, 
Our learned historian (?) has made this blunder so 
often, that we are weary of correcting him. Had 



THE BIBLE TK1CMPIIAXT. 49 

lie omitted that class of contradictions, "falsely 
so called," his propositions would have been few 
indeed. 



49. Adultery To t-b id den. —T\\o\\ shalt not commit adultery.— 
Ex, 20: 14. Whoremongers and adulterers, God will judge.— Ileb. 
13: 4. 

Adulter!/ Mtotced.— But all the women children that have not 
known a man by lying with him, keep alive for yourselves. Xum. — 
31: 13. And the Lord said unto Hosea, Go, take thee a wife of whore- 
doms Then said the Lord to me [Hosea,] Go yet, love a woman, 

beloved of her friend, yet an adultress So I bought her; 

and said unto her, Thou shalt abide for me many days : thou shalt 
not play the harlot, and thou shalt not be for another man ; so will I 
also be to thee— Hos. 1: 2; IIos. 2: 1, 2, 3 

Xum. 31: IS, is here quoted to prove that Mo- 
ses authorized the Israelites to make concubines 
of the whole number of female children. But 
the whole tenor of the law, and especially the 
statute recorded in Dent. 21: 10-14, proves most 
decisively to the contrary. They were merely 
permitted to possess them as female slaves, educa- 
ting them in their families, and employing them 
as domestics — for the laws concerning fornication, 
concubinage and marriage, forbade an Israelite, 
from even marrying a captive, without delays and 
previous formalities. If the reader will study the 
whole connection of Hosea 1: he will see that un- 
der the figure of a wife proving false to her mar- 
riage vows, and bearing children likely to follow 
her example, the prophet represents the shameful 
idolatry of Israel which provoked God to cast 
fheiu off. The whole passage conveys informa- 
tion by action, instead of words. That is, it is an 
allegorical representation of the ingratitude and 
unfaithfulness of the nation. The Lord had pro- 
vided for and protected Israel. He had cared for 
them as a thoughtful husband cares for his wife, 
aud thev owed" the fidelity of a wife to a tender 
* 3 



50 THE BIBLE TRIUMPHANT. 

husband. Instead of tin's, however, tliey had 
long addicted themselves to spiritual fornication 
or idolatry. (See Cottage Bible.) 



SO. Marriage 07 % CoTiahitation with a Sister Denounce*!. — 

Cursed is he that lieth with his sister, the daughter of his father.— 
Deut. 27: 22. And if a man shall take a sister, his father's daughter, 
or his mother's daughter it is a wicked thing.— Lev. 20: 17. 

Abraham 3%arried his Sister and God Blessed the Union. — 

And Abraham said, She is my sister; she is the daughter of my 

father, hut not the daughter of my mother. — Gen. 20: 11, 12. And 

God said unto Abraham, as for Sarah thy wife I will bless her. 

and give thee a son also of her.— Gen. 17: 16. 

The Bible indeed denounces marriage with a 
sister, but the truthful declaration of Abraham 
was made four hundred and seven years before 
any law was enacted against the marriage of near 
relatives Says Dr. Sleigh, " There are two very 
obvious reasons why at the beginning, near rela- 
tions were not prohibited intermarrying. 

1. JSTo physical evil arises from it till re- 
peated through several generations. 

2. In the beginning, as it seemed fit to the 
Creator that the earth should be populated from 
one pair, it was indispensably necessary for even 
brothers and sisters to marry, but as generations 
began to increase, the necessity became diminish- 
ed, and the physical evil increased, till it seemed 
good to the Almighty to give specific directions 
•on the subject Since that time, of course, in- 
termarriage with near relations, has been criminal." 



SI. A man may Marry his 'Brother's Widow.— If brethren 
dwell together, and one of them die and have no child, the wife of 
the dead shall not marry without unto a stranger; her husband's 
brother shall come in unto her and take her to wife.— Deut. 25: 5. 

A man may Not Marry his Brother's Widow.— If a man shall 
take his brother's wife, it is an unclean thing,., ..,.,„ they shall be 
childless -Lev. 20: 21, 



THE BIBLE TRIUMPHANT, 51 

Lev. 20: 21 forbids a man taking his brother's 
wife, wliile Dent. 25: 5 permits him to marry his 
brother's widow. The difference is obvious. — 
While a woman's husband lives, she is a wife, but 
at his death she ceases to be a wife and becomes 
a widow. Hence Lev. 20: 21 is simply an enact- 
ment against adultery. 

52, Hatred to Kindred Enjoined, — If any man come unto me, 
and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and 
brother, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my dis- 
ciple.— Luke 14: 26. 

Hatred to Kindred Condemned.— Honor thy father and mother. 

— Eph: 6; 2. Husbands love your wives For no man ever ye 

hateth his own flesh.— Eph. 5: 25, 29. Whosoever hateth his brother 
is a murderer.— 1 John 3: 15. 

Iii Luke 14: 26 the word hate merely signifies 
to love less. Please notice that a man is com- 
manded to hate his own life in the same sense 
that he is commanded to hate his relatives. The 
meaning of the text evidently is, that he who so 
loves his father and mother or his own flesh as to 
obey any of their impulses, orders or directions, 
in opposition to the commands of God, " cannot 
he my disciple," It is evident that according to 
Scripture usage, the word hate simply means to 
love less- — thus in Proverbs we find the declara- 
tion, "He that spareth the rod hateth his son." — > 
If our affections are placed upon God and His 
Son, everything else Avill be of minor importance, 

53, Intoxicating Beverages Recommended,— ^Give strong drink 
to him that is ready to perish, and wine to those that be of heavy 
hearts. Let him drink and forget his poverty, and remember his 
misery no more.— Prov. 31: 6, 7. Drink no longer water, but use a 
little wine for thy stomach's sake, and thine often infirmities.— 1 Tim 
5: 23. Wine maketh glad the heart of man.— Ps. 104: 15. 

Intoxicating leverages H isco untena ncecC-^SN me is a mocker, 
strong drink is raging, and whosoever is deceived thereby, is not wise, 
—Prov. 20: 1. Look not upon the wine when it is red ; when it giv- 

eth his color in the cup At the last it biteth like a serpent and 

stingeth like an adder— Prov, 23; ft, 32, 



52 THE BIBLE TRIUMPHANT, 

The first three texts simply recommend the use 
of wine for medicinal purposes, and the last two 
forbid its use as a leverage. Such foolish objec- 
tions are a shame to the boasted intellect of manhood. 



54:. It is our Duty to obey Hitlers, who are God's Ministers 
and punish Uvil Doers only.— Let every soul be subject unto the 
higher powers. For there is no power but of God ; the powers that 
be are ordained of God. Whosoever, therefore, resisteth the power, 
resisted the ordinance of God; and they that resist shall receive to 
themselves damnation. For rulers are not a terror to good works, but 
to evil For this cause pay ye tribute: for they are God's minis- 
ters, attending continually upon this very thing,— »Bom. 13: 1, 2, 3, 6. 
The Scribes and Pharisees sit in Moses' seat; all, therefore, whatso- 
ever they bid you observe, that observe and do.— Matt. 23: 2, 3. Sub- 
mit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord's sake ; 
whether it be to the king as supreme, or unto governors as unto 
them that are sent of him for the punishment of evil doers. — 1 Pet. 

2: 13, 14. I counsel thee to keep the king's commandment ,. 

Whoso keepeth the commandment shall feel no evil thing.— Eccl. 
8: 2, 5. 

It is Not our Duty always to obey JBulers, tvko Sometimes 
punish the good, and receive unto themselves Damnation there* 
for.— But the mid wives feared God, and did not as the king of Egypt 
command them Therefore God dealt well with the mid- 
wives.— Ex, 1: 17. 20. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego answered 

and said .»,. Be it known unto thee, king, that we will not serve 

thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up.-« 
Pan. 3: 16, 18. Therefore, king Darius signed the writing and the de- 
cree (that whosoever shall ask a petition of any God for thirty 

days he shall be cast into the den of lions) ,. Now, when 

Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went into his house and 

kneeled upon his knees three times a day and prayed „.as 

he did aforetime.— Dan, 6: 9, 7, 10. And the rulers were gathered to- 
gether against the Lord and against his Christ. For of a truth, 
against thy holy child Jesus, whom thou hast anointed, both Herod 
and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles, and the people of Israel, were 
gathered together.— Acts 4; 26, 27. Beware of the Scribes, which 
love to go in long clothing, and love salutations in the market pla- 
ces, and the chief seats in the synagogues , These shall receive 

greater damnation.— Mark 12j 38, 39, 40. And Herod with his men of 
war set him at naught, and mocked him, and arrayed him in a gor- 
geous robe, and sent him again to Pilate ,.. And Pilate gave sen- 
tence and when they were come to the place which is called 

Calvary, there they crucified him And the people stood by be- 
holding. And the rulers also with them derided him.— Luke 23: 11, 
24, 33, 35, 



THE BIBLE TRIUMPHANT. 53 

The long array of texts here quoted, simply 
teaches God's children to obey evfcry law of the 
" powers that be," that is founded in justice and 
equity. When any State law conflicts with the 
National constitution, it is not our duty to obey it, 
so when human law conflcts with the law of God, 
we are not to bow to the lesser, but yield our obe- 
dience to the great Law-giver of the Universe. — 
" Render to Cesar the things that are Cesar's, and 
to God the things that are God's." Hence, when- 
ever we can obey rulers and magistrates without 
conflicting with the law of God, we are Seriptu- 
rally bound to do so. But if men legislate against 
God and His truth, our obligation to them ceases ; 
for instance, the Fugitive Slave law was made by 
man, but it conflicted with God's command to do 
to others as we would that they should do to us, 
hence no christian could consistently act up to its 
requirements. The immortal Elachstone — En- 
gland's pre-eminent jurist — well remarks that 
°* An enactment is not a lau\ when it conflicts with 
the law of God." 

SS. Woman's Mights Denied.— And thy desire shall be to thy 
husband, and he shall rule over thee.— Gen. 3: 16. I suffer not a wo- 
man to teach, nor usurp authority over a man, but to be in silence. — 
1 Tim. 2: 12. They are commanded to be under obedience, as also 
saith the law. — 1 Cor. 11: 34, Even as Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling 
him Lord— 1 Pet. 3: 6, 

Woman's Rights Affirmed.— And Deborah, a prophetess 

judged Israel at that time And Deborah said unto Barak, Up- 

for this is the day in which the Lord hath delivered Sisera into thy 

hand And the Lord discomfited Sisera, and all his chariots, 

and all his host, with the edge of the sword before Barak.— Judges 
4:4,14,15. The inhabitants of the villages ceased; they ceased in 
Israel, until I, Deborah, arose, a mother in Israel.— Judg. 5: 7. And 
on my hand-maidens I will pour out in those days my spirit, and 
they shall prophesy.— Acts 2: 18. And the same man had four 
daughters, virgins, which did prophesy.— Acts 21: 9. 

Because a woman is taught to render due re- 
spect to her husband and vjA to usurp authority 



51 THE BIBLE TRIUMPHANT. 

over him; because women were forbidden to 
habitually speak in public, or to interfere with 
matters which it was a man's business to attend 
to — does it therefore follow that when the Lord 
pours out his spirit upon them, that they are still 
to be silent ? If God bestows an extraordinary 
gift upon a woman, or gives her a work to do, no 
apostle of Jesus would forbid her. Anna was 
allowed to prophesy in the temple as well as 
Simeon. And Paul's prohibition of a woman's 
praying or prophesying unveiled was certainly an 
acknowledgment of her right to do so, under 
such a regulation. Hence the Bible gives to 
woman a position of dignity, and also of delicacy 
— it points out the true sphere in which she is to 
act with becoming modesty and self-respect. 

56* Obedience to JIasters Unjoined, — Servants obey in all things 

your masters after the flesh And whatsoever ye do, do it as 

heartily as to the Lord;— C6I. 3: 22, 23. Be subject to your masters 
with all fear ; net only tcf the good and gentle, but also' to the fro- 
war d.—l Pet. 2? IS. 

Obedience J>ue to God Only.— Thou shalt Worship *he Lord thy 
God, and him only shalt thou serve. — Matt. 4: 10. Be not ye the ser- 
vants of men.— 1 Cor. 7: 23. Neither be yc called masters : for one \3 
your master, even Christ. — Matt. 23: 10. 

The passages in the first part of this proposi- 
tion simply teach servants to obey their masters 
in matters relating to their regular employment.- 
But the infidel thinks he finds a contradiction of 
this in Matt. 4: 10, which teaches that the " Lord 
thy God " is the only object of worship, but it 
requires little discernment to see that this passage 
has no reference to secular things. Pie also 
quotes 1 Cor. 7: 23, which reads, " Ye are bought 
with a price; be not ye the servants of mefr."— - 
Christ having given his life for the saints, they 
are to obey Him in preference to men. There 
is surely no contradiction here for the texts 
quoted in the first part of the proposition, no 



THE BIBLE TRIUMPHANT, §§ 

where teach that servants are to obey their mas- 
ters in preference to Christ. 

Matt. 23: 10 is an admonition to the saints, 
which forbids the assumption of titles. 

57. There is an Unpardonable Sin. — He that shall blaspheme 
against the Hob 7 Ghost hath never forgiveness.— Mark 3: 29. 

There is No Unpardonable Sin. — And by him all that believe 
are justified from all things.— Acts 13: 39. 

The key to this problem is found in the latter 
part of the text last quoted, and which the infi- 
(lel was obliged to leave off in order to make out 
his " contradiction." The text reads thus : — 
" And by him all that believe are justified from 
all things from which ye could not be justified 
by the law of Jfoses" By quoting the whole 
text 5 the difficulty is at once obviated. There 
was no justification in the law of Moses, as will 
appear from Rom. 3 : 20 ; " Therefore by the 
deeds of the law, there shall no flesh be justified 
in His sight ; for by the law is the knowledge of 
sin." It is not the province of law to justify, but 
to condemn those who transgress. Hence, in 
the Isew Testament, justification is attributed 
to the grace of Jesus Christ. The unpardonable 
sin mentioned in Mark could not be committed 
under the dispensation of the law. Hence, Acts 
13: 39 has no reference to it whatever. The un- 
pardonable sin consists in an apostacy from the 
truth of the gospel "For it is impossible for 
those who were once enlightened and have tasted 
of the heavenly gift and were made partakers 
of the Holy Ghost, and have tasted the good 
word of God and the powers of the world to 
come, if they shall fail away to renew them 
again unto repentance, seeing they crucify to 
themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him 
to an open shame." — Heb. 6; 4, 6, 



HISTORICAL FACTS. 

58, Man was Created After the other Annuals. — And Gocl 
made thebeasts of the earth after his kind, and the cattle after their 

kind And God said, Let us make man So God created man 

in his own image.— Gen. 1: 25, 26. 

Man was Created JBefore the other Animals. — And the Lord 
God said it is not good that man should be alcme : I will make a help- 
meet for him. And out of the ground the Lord God formed every 
beast of the field, and every fowl of the air, and brought them unto 
Adam to see what he would call them. — Gen. 2: 18, 19. 

The latter part of Gen. 2: 18, 19, is simply a 
repetition of Gen. 1: 25-26. The idea from the 
original Hebrew would perhaps be more clearly 
expressed by the following rendering: u The 
Lord God brought every beast of the field and 
every fowl of the air (which he had formed out 
of the ground,) unto Adam to see what he would 
call them." The mere redundancy of ex- 
pression is a frivolous pretext for a cavil. 



59, Seed time and Harvest were Never to Cease. — While the 

earth remaineth, seed time and harvest.. shall not cease. — Gen 

8; 22. 

Seedtime and Harvest Did Cease for Seven Years. — And the 

seven years of dearth began to come. .„„.., And the famine was over 
all the face of the earth.— Gen. 41: 54, 56. For these two years hath 
famine been in the land ; and yet there are five years in which there 
shall neither he earing nor harvest. — Gen. 45: 6. 

This " contradiction " (like many others,) has 
been manufactured by wresting a text from its 
connection. Gen. 8: 22 is simply a promise of 
the change of seasons. The true elipsis of the 
text is as follows : " Seed time and harvest 
time shall not cease." God lias no where prom- 
ised us a crop of grain every year, but simply 



TOE MBLE TRICMPIiAXT. 5? 

that seed time and harvest time shall continue. — 
This is evident not only from the grammatical 
construction of language, but from the whole 
connection. The verse reads as follows : — 
"While the earth remaineth, seed time and 
harvest (time) and cold and heat and summer 
and winter and day and night shall not cease." 



60. God Hardened Pharaoh's Heart. — But I will harden his 
heart, that he shall not let the people so.— Ex. i: 21. And the Lord 
hardened the heart of Pharaoh. — Ex. 9: 12. 

Tharaoh Hardened his Own Heart.— But when Pharaoh saw 
that there was respite, he hardened his heart, and hearkened not 
unto them.— Ex. 8: 15. 

This proposition admits of the most easy solu- 
tion. Both texts are strictly true. God was the 
cause of hardening Pharaoh's heart, because he 
it was who offered mercies to the wicked king, 
upon conditions of obedience : and on the other 
hand it is equally true that Pharaoh hardened his 
own heart, because he resisted the kindness and 
merer of God, and brought desolation and ruin 
upon himself and kingdom. 



61. All the Cattle and Horses in Egypt Died. — Behold, the 
hand of the Lord is upon thy cattle which is in the field, upon the 
horse 8, upon the asses, upon the camels, upon the oxen, and upon 
the sheep And all the cattle of Egypt died. — Ex. 9: 3, 6. 

All the Horses of Egypt did Not Die.— But the Egyptians pur- 
sued after them (all the horses and chariots of Pharaoh, and his 
horsemen, and his army) and overtook them encamping by the sea; 
Ex. 14: 9. 

The infidel here endeavors to prove first, that 
all the horses of Egypt were slain by God's 
judgment ; and second, that they pursued the 
children of Israel with horses. But^ it is very 
evident that their horses were not all killed (if in- 
deed any of them were,) from the following facts : 



58 THE BIBLE TRIUMPHANT. 

1st. The threat simply includes the animals 
in the field, and the horses belonging to the 
royal service conkl not have been laboring in the 
field ; and there were probably many others also 
that were not there. 

2d. The record only says that "all the cattle 
of Egypt died." It does not say that the horses 
died also. And it will be noticed that the disease 
which was sent. upon the cattle to destroy them, 
was the murrMri — a disease not likely to attack 
horses ! 

3d. The words, both in the Hebrew and 
Greek, which are rendered " all " in our version 
in many instances, simply mean "many," or a 
" large proportion of," " a majority." For 
instance, " AM Jtidea went out to be baptised of 
John in Jordan," still we have accounts of a 
certain class that did not go. See also the dec- 
laration that " death has passed upon all men," 
yet we have the history of two meii who never 
died. Hence we may safely infer that the term 
is used in the same legitimate sense in the text 
before us; 



G.2. Moses Feared Flxaraoli.— And Moses feared, and said, Sure- 
ly this thing is tnown. Now, when Pharaoh heard this thing-, he 
sought to slay Moses. But Moses fled before the face of Pharaoh, 
and dwelt in the land of Midian And it came to pass, in pro- 
cess of time, that the king of Egypt died And the Lord said 

unto Moses, in Midian, Go, return unto Egypt; for all the men are 
dead that sought thy life. Ex. 2: 14, 15 ; Ex. 23: Ex. 4: 19. 

Moses Did Not Fear F]tarao7i.—J$y faith he [Moses] forsook 
Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king.— Heb. 11: 27. 

The texts quoted in Exodus refer to Moses' 
flight from Egypt at the time he slew the Egyp- 
tian, at which time it is very evident that he 
feared the wrath of Pharoah. But Heb. 11: 27 
refers explicitly to the time when Moses left 
Egypt with the children of Israel, and as at this 



THE BIBLE TRIUMPHANT. 59 

time lie was acting ditectly in harmony with tlie 
express commands of Jehovah 5 lie had no cause 
to fear an earthly tyrant. 



€3. Titer e Died of the Plague Twenty -four Thousand.— And 

those that died in the plague were twenty and four thousand.— Num. 
25:9. 

There Died of the Tlague but Twenty-three Thousand.— And 

fell in one day three and twenty thousand.-HL Cor. 10: 8. 

This problem in clearly explained by Bagster's 
note upon the first text which we insert. " St* 
Paul reckons only 23,000, though some manu- 
scripts and versions, particularly the latter, Syrian 
and Armenian have as here 24,000 ; allowing the 
24,000 to be genuine, (and none of the Hebrew 
manuscripts exhibit a various reading here,) and 
the 23,000 of St. Paul to be also genuine, the two 
places may be reconciled by supposing-, what is 
very probable that Moses includes in the 24,000 
the 1,000 men who were slain, in consequence of 
the judicial examination, (verse 4,) as well as the 
23,000 who died of the plague, while St. Paul 
only refers to the latter. Hence it is clear that 
the whole number of those wdio died of the 
plague was 24,000, while it is equally true, as 
Paul says, that " there fell, m one day, three and 
twenty thousand." 

Si. John the JBajHlst was JElias.— This is Eli&s wkich Was to 
come.— Matt. 11: 14. 

John the JBajytist teas Kot Tit las,— And they asked him, What 
then ? Art thou Elias ? and he said I am not.-^-John 1: 21 . 

Matt. 11: 14 reads, " If ye will receive it, this 
is Elias which was for to come." 

The reader will see at once by the pronoun 
used in the foregoing text, that it does not refer 
to the person of Elias. It simply conveys the 



60 THE BIBLE TfcttJMPJIAXT. 

idea that John tlie Baptist was tlie forerunner, or 
the Elias of the first advent, as Elias hirmetf is 
to be the forerunner of the second. If we should 
say that Abraham Lincoln was the Washington 
of the 19th century, no one would suppose that 
we intended to convey the idea that lie was in 
fact George Washington. And although John 
was indeed the Elias, or forerunner of the first 
advent of the Messiah, yet in reply to the question 
"Art thou Elias," (i. e. the veritable prophet,) he 
truthfully answers, / am not. His position is 
easily explained by the text, which says, " He 
came in the spirit and power of Elias.-' 

tio. The Father of Josejrfi, Mary's Husband, teas Jacob. — 

And Jacob begat Joseph, the husband of Mary, of whom was born 
-Jesus.— Matt. 1: 16. 

The Father of Mary* 's Husband was Hell.— Being the son of 
Joseph which was the son of He! L— Luke 3: 23. 

This problem is easily solved by the following 
considerations : It is evident, from Matt. 1: 10, 
that Jacob was the natural father of Joseph, 
While Heli was the father of Mary, his wife ; and 
as Mary w r as the only child and heiress of Heli 
(according to the Talmud) when Joseph married 
her, he became the only son and heir of Heli. — 
The Jews often traced genealogy in this way, 
u For instance, in 1 Chron. 2: 2.2, Jair is reck- 
oned among the posterity of Judah: because the 
grandfather of Jair (ver. 21) had married the 
daughter of Machir, of a noble house in the tribe 
of Manasseh, (Ch. 7: 14.) Therefore the same 
Jair is called the son of Manasseh, although he 
was only related to Manasseh by marriage. 5 - — 
See Def. Die. 



66. The Father of Salah was Arj)haocadi— And Arphaxad 
lived five and thirty years and begat Salah.— Gen. 11? 12, 



THE BIBLE Tl-tfCMPlIAXT. 61 

The Father of Sala was Cainan.— Which Was the son of 
Sala, which was the son of Cainan, which was the son of Arphaxad. 
—Luke 3: 35, 3G. 

Some authors state that Cainan was the sur- 
name of Sala, and that the names should read 
thus : " The son of lleber which was the son of 
Salacainan, the son of Arphaxad/' This is the 
more probable as the words the son are supplied 
by the translators in order to make it more in- 
telligible to us, for the genealogies, as they stand 
in the Jewish records, are simply a series of 
names. Hence, the translator, who was unac- 
quainted with the names, might easily make a di- 
vision as above. 

07. There were Fourteen Generations from Abraham to Da-' 
vld. — So all the generations from Abraham to David ars fourteen 
generations. — Matt. 1: 17. 

There were but Thirteen Generations from Abraham to iBa-* 

vid. — Abraham begat Isaac Jacob Judas Phares ; 

Esrom Aram Aminidab Xaason Salmon i 

Booz Obed Jesse David [13].— Matt. 1: 2-6. 

Generation is a term applied either to a regu- 
lar descent from father to son, or to a certain 
number of years. It is in this latter sense Mat- 
thew makes use of the word generation, " So all 
the generations from Abraham to David are four- 
teen generations," etc., not fourteen regular suc- 
cessions of father and sons ; for he proves he nev- 
er meant any such tiling by giving, in the same 
paragraph, the names of a number of persons, 
sufficient to constitute the chain of progenitors up 
to Abraham, but not sufficient to make fourteen 
progenitors between David and Abraham. The 
term generation, even at the present day, is ap- 
plied to a number of years. 

In the English Court of Chancery, it has va- 
ried from sixty to twenty years. Among the 
Jews it has also varied from one hundred to thir- 



63 THE BIBLE TRIUMMIANT, 

ty years, so that the number of years constituting 
the term generation, has varied at different peri- 
ods of the world. Matthew took his account 
from the Jewish records, and just copied what he 
found therein recorded. Hence, the number of 
years constituting fourteen generations, from 
Abraham to David, was probably u different from 
the number of ^ears constituting fourteen genera- 
tions from David until the Babylonish captivity ; 
and again from the latter event to the coming 01 
Christ. Thus we find that so far from being any 
evidence of error in Matthew's statement, the ei^ 
ror is in the mind oi the skeptic. See Br. Sleigh. 



68. There it* ere Fourteen Generations from the Habylonish 
Captivity to Christ.* And from the carrying aw^y intoBabylbn tfrito 
Christ are fourteen generations.— -Matt. It 17. 

There were but Thirteen Generations from the JBabylonish 
Captivity to Christ.— And after they were brought to Babylon, Je- 

chonias begat Salathiel Zerobabel Abiud Eliakiin » 

Azor » s Sadoo ....Achim ..Eliud Eleazur Matthan 

Jacob ..Joseph, the husband of Mary, of whom was born 

Jesus [13].— Matt. 1: 12, 16. 

This has been explained under the foregoing 
proposition. It is evident that Matthew's terui 
generations, signifies a certain number of years 
which were recognized as generations, according 
to the Hebrew standard* 



* 60. The Infant Christ was taken into JPyypti-^SYhen he aros^s 
he took the young child and his mother by night and departed into 
Egypt, and was there until the death of Herod But when Her- 
od was dead he took the young child and his mother and cainc 

and dwelt in a city called Nazareth.— Matt; 1: 11, 15, 19, 23. 

The Infant Christ was Not taken into JSgypt. — And when the 
days of her purification, according to the law of Moses, were accom- 
plished, they brought him to Jerusalem, to present him to the Lord 

And when they had performed all things, according to the law 

of the Lord they returned to their own city, Nazareth.— Luke 

2; 2 1 29. 



TITE BIBLE TEHnMPHAXT, C3 

The skeptic's only difficulty on tins point ap- 
pears to be tli at lie has got his chronology badly 
i nixed. Luke writes on this subject of an event 
which took place a year previous to that recorded 
by Matthew. He says, " And when the days of 
her purification were accomplished (i. e. thirty three 
days, according to the law of Moses,) they brought 
him (the child) to Jerusalem to present him to 
the Lord, (please read the beautiful law recorded 
in Ex. 13: 2, Ex. 22: 29) and to offer a sacrifice ac- 
cording to that which is said in the law of the Lord 
— a pair of turtle doves or two young pigeons. — * 
And when they had performed all things accord- 
ing to the law of the Lord, they returned into Gal- 
lilee — to their own city, Xazareth." 

And according to the best chronology it was 
a year after this event, that Joseph being warned 
of God in a dream, took the young child and his 
mother by night and fled into Egypt, where they 
remained until the death of Herod, 

Before leaving this subject we ought to remark, 
for the information (?) of the Infidel, that the 
events recorded in the Bible are not always ar* 
ranged m the precise order in which they occurred. 
It is by no means necessary, in order for the 
Bible to be true, that all the events recorded by 
Matthew must chronologically precede those re- 
corded by Mark and Luke. We see, therefore, 
in conclusion, that after the days of her (Mary's) 
purification, they returned to their own city Xaz- 
areth, and dwelt there a year, after which the in- 
fant Christ was taken into Egypt. Any ordinary 
mind can see the harmony between Matthew and 
Luke on this subject. 



70. Clivist was Tempted in tlie Wilderness. — And immediately 
[alter Christ's baptiim] the spirit driveth him into the wilderness. — 
And he was there in the wilderness forty days tempted of Satan.— 
Mark 1: 12, 13. 



04 TltE BIftLE TEttTM3?IlAHT. 

Christ was Xot Tempted in the Wilderness* — And the third day 

[after Christ's baptism] there was a marriage in Cana of Galilee 

Both Jesus was called and his disciples to the marriage.— John 2; 
1.2. 

This contradiction (?) was manufactured by the 
three words after Christs baptism, which has 
\ >cen inserted by the Infidel in the last text. — - 
This statement inclosed in brackets is simply false. 
And had the skeptic read the previous chapter with 
any attention, he might have known it to be such, 
for it gives no account whatever of Christ's bap- 
tism. 

The subjects of the chapter are, 1. The position 
and office of Christ, and, 2, The testimony of John 
that he was the Christ, and this he proves by a 
statement of what occurred four years previous, 
when he immersed the Messiah in the Jordan.— 
And the next day after this, it appears he was 
With the same persons (or other unbelievers) 
again, for seeing Jesus coming unto him he said, 
" Behold the Lamb of God which taketh away 
the sin of the world," and adds, " This is he of 
whom I said, (at the time of the baptism, see Matt. 
3:11,) " After me cometh a man which is pre- 
ferred before me." He then continues his testi- 
mony with the words, " And I knew him not, 
but he that sent me to baptize with water, the 
■same said unto me, Upon whom thou shalt see 
the Spirit descending and remaining upon him, 
the same is he which baptizeth with the Holy 
Ghost. And I saw and bare record that this is 
the Son of God." 

In John 2: 1, we find the skeptic's quotation, 
" And on the third day there was a marriage in 
Cana of Galilee," &c. The third day after what ? 
Xot the third day after Christ's baptism as the In- 
fidel states, for that \toolc -place four years previous 
(as is easily seen by noticing the chronology at 
the head of the chapters) but the third day" after 



THE BIBLE TKIl'MriiAXT. 65 

the events recorded in the foregoing chapter, that 
is after John thus testifies to others that Jesus 
was the Christ, and proves his testimony hy a 
statement of what he himself witnessed. 

This proposition exhibits a dishonesty so hold 
and shameless that none but an Infidel would 
have the assurance to hold it up before a civilized 
world. 

71* Christ Trcnelied Jlis Tirst Sermon on the Mount. — And 

seeing the multitude he went up into a mountain », and when ho was 
get his disciples came unto him. And he opened his mouth and 
taught them, saying.— Matt. 5: 1. 

Christ Trcaehed His First Sermon in the Tin in. — And he came 
down with them and stood in the plain ; and the company of his dis- 
ciples, and a great multitude of people came to hear him 

And he lifted up his eyes on his disciples and said :— Luke 6: 7, 20. 

This is another instance in which a direct false- 
hood has been ingeniously conveyed to the mind. 
What authority has the Infidel for stating that the 
sermon which Christ delivered on the plain, as 
recorded in Luke 6: 17, 20, was hn first sermon f 
What authority, indeed I What pretext or ex- 
cuse can he have for this, when the very chapter 
preceding, gives an account of Christ preaching a 
sermon from Simon's ship, in the edge of Gennes- 
aret, while his audience thronged the shore,—- 
And in the chapter next preceding this we find 
the declaration, " And Jesus returned in the pow- 
er of the spirit unto Galilee, and there went out 
the fame of him through all the regions round 
about, and he taught in their synagogues, being 
glorified of all." Luke 4: 14, 15. Immediately 
after this follows an account of a sermon in the 
synagogue at Nazareth. Again in verse 31 
of the same chapter we read, "And (he) came 
down to Capernaum. . . .and taught them on the 
Sabbath day," and when they urged him to stay 
with them, his reply, as recorded in verse 4-3, 



66 THE BIBLE TRIUMPHANT. 

is, " I must preach tlie Kingdom of God in oth- 
er cities, for therefore am I sent, and he preached 
in the synagogues of Galilee." 

Yet in the very face of all these declarations in 
the two preceding chapters, when we come to 
the next instance recorded in Lnke 6, the skeptic 
very coolly calls it his first sermon! ! What 
beautiful consistency ! ! Had the Infidel taken 
the trouble to read the sermon delivered on the 
mount, (Matt. 5:) and the one delivered on the 
plain (Luke G:) he would also have discovered 
some difference in the discourses. 



72. John tvas in J?riso7i %vhen Jesus tventinto Galilee. — Now, 
after that John was put in prison Jesus came into Galilee preaching 
the gospel of the kingdom of God,— Mark 1: 11. 

tJoJin was Kot in l*rison when Jesus went into Galilee. — The 

day following Jesus would go forth into Galilee. — John 1: 43. And 
after these things came Jesus with his disciples into the land of Ju- 

dea And John was baptizing in Enon For John was not 

yet cast into prison.— John 3: 22, 23, 24. 

This proposition is so arrayed as to convey to 
the mind the idea that Jesus never went into Gal- 
ilee t)ut once, whereas the Bible speaks of his be- 
ing there some seventeen times, The green vales 
of Galilee were the witnesses of many of his no- 
ble deeds, and the clear waters of her beautiful 
lakes testify to his miracles and his love. 

He went into Galilee many times before John 
was cast into prison, and many times afterward,. 
Hence, the contradiction in the above proposition 
ive fail to see. 



73. Clirisi's Disciples were Commanded to t/o forth with a 
Staff, and Sandals.— And commanded them that they should take 
nothing for their journey, save a staff only; no scrip, no bread, no 
money in their purse ; but be shod with sandals.— -Mark 6: 8, 9. 

CJirist's Disciples are Commanded to go forth wifJi Neither 

Staves nor .$«hc?<??s,— -Provide neither gold, nor silver, nor brass in 



THE BIBLE TRIUMPHANT, 67 

your purses; nor scrip for your journey, neither two coats, neither 
shoes, nor yet staves.— Matt. 10: 9, 10. 

Mark represents Jesus as telling Ms apostles to 
take nothing for their, journey save a staff only, 
while in Matthew they are forbidden, to take 
staves: there is nothing contradictory here, the 
evident idea of both texts is that they were to take 
hut one. Probably one apiece^ simply as an aid 
in walking, and not to carry several as it they de- 
signed therebv to protect themselves from phys- 
' ical harm. As they trusted in Omnipotence for 
protection they had no need to carry staves for 
weapons. 

Also in Mark they are commanded to be shod 
with sandals, and in Matthew they are forbidden 
to provide themselves with shoes ; but this is not 
inconsistent. The sandals were much lighter 
and more portable than shoes. The word saiidalis 
purely Chaldee, and when translated means a 
lMit shoe. It is compounded of sin a shoe (see 
Targrnn, Dent. 25: 9, 10,) and dot, tliiii$ light, 
slender, or mean, (see Martinus' Etymological 
Lexicon) they were much lighter than the hypo- 
dema or common shoe. Hence, in the commis- 
sion, the preference was giveii to them. It is 
probable however, that diir Savior intended more 
particularly to cOilvey the idea that they were to 
take no change of garments, and this idea is sus- 
tained bv Wilson's version of Matt, 10: 9, 10, 
Which reads thus, " Carry no traveling bag, no 
spare clothes, shoes, or staff." See Emphatic 
Diairlott. 



O' 



74. A. Woman of Canaan j&esoilght iTesus.-^-And] behold, a 
woman of Canaan came out of the same coasts, and cried unto him. 
Have mercy on me, Lord, thou son of David; my daughter is 
grievously vexed with a devil.— Matt. 15: 22. 

It was a Grceh Woman who Besought Him— The woman was 



68 TIIK BIBLE TRIUMPHANT. 

a Greek, a Syrophenician by nation, and she besought him that he 
would cast forth the devil out of her daughter.— Mark 7: 26. 

Syrophenicia was in tlie time of our Saviour 
a province of the Greek government, and was 
inhabited by the descendents of Canaan. The 
woman referred to in the above proposition, 
lived in Syrophenicia, hence she was a Greek, 
and as she was descended from Canaan, she was 
also "a woman of Canaan." Thus we may 
speak of a negro who was born in Kentucky, 
and say of him with equal propriety, that he is a 
" man of Africa," an " American " and a " Ken- 
tuckian." Hence we see that the Bible is in 
perfect harmony on this, as well as all other 
points. 



7*7. Two Blind t 3£en JSesoujht Jesus. — And behold, two blind 
men sitting by the way-side, when they heard that Jesus passed by, 
cried out, saying, Have ^inercy on us, Lord thou son of David. — 
Matt. 20: 30. 

Only OXE Ulind Man JBesouglii Hint. — A certain hlind man 

sat by the way-side begging ,. And he cried, saying, Jesus, thou 

son of David, have mercy on me. — Luke 18: 35, 38. 

Had the infidel quoted the context in the 
above, his proposition would have beautifully 
explained itself. We give the sense entire. — 
Luke says, " And it came to pass as they came 
nigh unto Jericho, a certain blind man sat by the 
wayside begging. And hearing the multitude 
pass by, he asked what it meant. And they told 
him Jesus of JSfazareth passeth by. And he 
cried saying, " Jesus, thou Son of David, have 
mercy on me. 5 

And Matt, says, " And as they departed from 
Jericho, a great multitude followed him. And 
behold two blind men sitting by the wayside, and 
when they heard that Jesus passed by, cried out 
sayhm\ Have mercy upon us, Oh Lord, thou Son 



THE BIBLE TRIUMPHANT. C9 

of David." Hence it is clear that Luke and 
Matthew refer to two distinct and separate in- 
stances, one of which took place before Jesus and 
his disciples arrived at Jericho, and the other 
after they departed from thence. 



76. Christ was Crucified at the THIRTY Hour.— And it was 

the third hour and they crucified him.— Mark 15: 25. 

Christ was not Crucified until the SIXTH Hour.-- And it was 
the preparation of the passover, and about the sixth hour ; and he 

saith unto the Jews, Behold your king Shall I crucify your 

king— John 19: 14, 15. 

It is supposed that the true reading of John 19 : 
14 should be trite, the third, instead of exte, 
the sixth. A mistake which might readily have 
occurred in ancient times when the character 
gamma, which was used to denote trite three, 
might be mistaken for episima, or sir/ma tan, 
which signifies six. 

The two characters above alluded to are very 
much alike, hence the mistake was easy. Thus 
we see that which the critic supposed to be a 
mistake on the part of the author of the Bible 
was simply a mistake made by a few of those 
who copied the work, we say afew, because trite 
third (instead of exte six) is the reading of some 
very eminent manuscripts. See Dr. Clark, Ben- 
gel, Xewcome, Mclvnight, Lightfoot, Eosen- 
muller, etc., on this point. 



77. The TWO THIEVES Reviled Christ.^-The thieves also, 
which were crucified with him, cast the same in his teeth, --Matt, 27: 
41. And they that were crucified reviled him.— Mark 15: 32. 

Only ONE of THE THIEVES Reviled Christ,— And one of 

the malefactors which hanged railed on him But the other an~ 

swering, rebuked him, saying, Dost thou not fear God, seeing thou 
art in the same condemnation ?— Luke 23: 39, 10. 

It is plain from the three texts above quoted 



70 THE BIBLE TRIUMPHANT, 

that at first (according to Matthew and Mark) 
botli of the thieves reviled the Messiah, and after- 
ward (according to Luke,) one had not only 
leased to revile him, but reproved the other for 
so doing. Hence the infidel argues witli great 
complacency, "the Bible contradicts itself." — 
Surely this is a very weak argument for a man to 
offer, and that too, in the very face of the fact 
that they hung over six hours upon the cross. — • 
Saul of Tarsus and many others were Converted 
in much less time than this. 

78. Satan ENTERED into Judas While at THE SUFFER. 

--And after the sop Satan entered into him.— John 13: 27. 
Satan ENTERED into him BEFORE THE SUFFER.— 

Then entered Satan into Judas, ....... ..and he went his way and com- 
muned with the chief priest3 and captains, how he might betray 

him Then came the day of unleavened bread when the passover 

must be killed.— Luke 22: 3, 4, 7, 

We are weary of correcting propositions which 
are so transparent as to nked no solution. From 
the above it is evident that Satan entered into 
Judas twice. Once when he consented to betray 
his Lord for money, and again " after the sup- 
per " to strengthen him in his purpose to deliver 
up his master to those who thirsted for his blood. 

79. Judas Committed SUICIDE by Hanging.— And he cast 
down the pieces of silver Into the temple, and departed, and went 
out and hanged himself.— Matt. 27; 5. 
; Judas did NOT HANG Himself, but Hied another way.— 

And falling headlong he burst asunder in the midst, and all his bow- 
els gushed out.— Acts 1: 18. 

It is written in Matt. 27 : 5 that Judas went 
and hanged himself. Luke in Acts 1: 18 relates 
these circumstances only which followed after he 
had hanged himself; viz : that " falling head- 
long" (perhaps by the rope breaking, or that to 
which he had fastened it giving way,) " he burst 



THE BIBLE TRIUMPHANT. 71 

assunder in the midst and all his bowels gushed 
out." There is no knowing how long (perhaps 
weeks, or even months) he might have remained 
suspended (for it is probable that he hang him- 
self in some unfrequented part of the neighboring 
woods) even until decomposition of his body had 
far advanced, and then falling from a very low 
height indeed would be quite sufficient to cause 
a rupture or bursting of the parietes of the abdo- 
men and the consequent gushing out of his intes- 
tines or bowels. 



SO. THE POTTER'S FIELD was PURCHASED by JU- 
&A8.~- Now, this man purchased a field with the reward of iniquity. 
—Acts 1: 19. 

THE POTTER'S FIELD ivrts PURCHASED, by, THE 
CHIEF PRIESTS,— And the chief priests took the silver pieces 
and bought with them the potter's field.— Matt. 27: 6.7. 



'• Now this man purchased a field with the re- 
ward of iniquity." Upon examination we find 
that this text, and also the one recorded in Mat- 
thew are literally true, for the reward of iniquity 
( i. & 9 of Judas' iniquity) bought the potter's held ; 
consequently it was Judas, who, by his iniquity 
in betraying his Lord and master, actually bought 
this property, although it was the priests who 
handed over the money for the field to ite own- 
ers ; they were the agents, he was the principal. 
As it may be said of any rich man, he purchased 
such a piece of ground, although he may never 
have seen either the land nor its owners, yet it 
may be truthfully said of him, that lie bought the 
property if it was done with his money, while an- 
other person in speaking of the same transaction 
could also say with truth, that the land was pur- 
chased by the agent who transacted the busmen, 



72 TILE BIBLE TRIUMPHANT, 

SI. But ONE Woman came to the SEPULCHRE —Tkz first 
clay of the week cometh Mary Magdalene, early, when it was yet 
dark, unto the sepulchre.— John 20: 1. 

TWO Women came to the SERJJECHRE —\n the end of the 

Sabbath, as it began to dawn towards the first day of the week, came 
Mary Magdalene, and the other mary to the sepulchre.— Matt. 28: 1, 

John simply mentions Mary Magdelenc as 
coming early unto the sepulchre ; he does not say 
that she came alone, (as he would be obliged to 
do in order to sustain the skeptic's position.) — ■ 
There might have been other women with her, 
without invalidating in the least, John's state- 
ment that she came. 

Matthew corroborates John's testimony that 
Marv Magdalene came to the sepulchre, and adds 
that the other Mary was with her. Hence, in- 
stead of contradicting John, he bears witness that 
his record is true. 



82. THREE WOMEN CAME to the SERTJLCHRE.— 

When the Sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the moth- 
er of James, and Salome, had brought sweet spices, that they might 
come and anoint him.— Mark 16: 1. 

MORE THAN THREE W03LEN came to the SERZ7L- 
CHRE.—It was Mary Magdalene and Mary the Mother of James, 
and other women that were with them.— Luke 24: 10. 

This is similar to the preceding objection. — . 
Mark testifies that both Matthew and John told 
the truth in the previous proposition, and adds 
that Salome was also with them. Luke declares 
that the three preceding witnesses are correct, in 
relation to the women which they have specified, 
and conveys the idea that there were quite a 
number of them. So there is no discrepency 
here. John merely thought proper to mention 
Mary Magdalene, she being the most prominent 
and foremost of the group, while the other Evan-, 
gelist casually mention a few of those that were 
with her, some more and some less. There may 



THE BIBLE TRIUMPHANT. 73 

have been many women with Mary Magdalene, 

on that memorable morning without invalidating 
the testimony of either of the Evangelists. 

S3. It was at Sunrise when they came to the Sepulchre. — 

And very earl} 7 in the morning, the first day of the week, fhey cam© 
unto the sepulchre, at the rising of the sun. — Mark 1G: 2. 
It was SOME TIME BJEFOKjE sunrise when they came.— 

The first day of the week, cometh Mary Magdalene, early, while it 
was yet dark, unto the sepulchre.— John 20 : 1. 

The grammar of the language gives the solu- 
tion to this problem, for John says " while it 
was vet dark cometh Mary Magdalene," &c, 
which shows clearly that she was on her way, 
coming to the sepulchre, while it was yet dark. — 
Aud in accordance with this,Mark testifies that they 
came unto the sepulchre, at the rising of the sun. 

Hence, it is clear that they left their homes 
very early, while it was yet dark, and arrived at 
the tomb at sunrise. When the skeptic is so very 
particular about the precise hour in the morning, 
it might be well for him to pay some attention to 
the tense of the verbs with which he has to deal. 

Before leaving this subject we will state that 
Wakefield's translation fully sustains the above 
position. His version of John 20: 1, is as fol- 
lows : " Now on the first dav of the week, Mary 
Magdalene setteth out early in the morning, while 
it was yet dark, towards the tomb." 

The word which is rendered cometh in our ver- 
sion, is the Greek word jErketai, being 'the present 
tense of the verb Erhmiai, which Groves, in his 
Greek Lexicon, defines thus : " To issue, come 
forth, arise from," &c. Hence the literal reading 
of Erlxetai is issuing, coming forth, arising fromP 
Hence we learn that early in the morning, while 
it was yet dark, Mary Magdalene was corning 
forth, or arising from her home, to go towards 
the sepulchre of her Lord. 
4= 



74 THE BIBLE TBIUMPHAIff. 

84, Two Angels were seen at the Sepulchre, standing uji. 

— And it cam e to pass, as they were inuch perplexed thereabout, 
behold, two men stood by them in shining garments. — Luke 2-i: 4. 

But ONE angel was seen and he was SITTING DOWN.— 

For the angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and came and 

rolled back the stone from the door, and sat upon it And the 

angel answered and said unto the women, Fear not. — Matt. 28: 2, 5. 

TV r e can see no discrepancy between these two 
texts. Matthew gives an account of the glorious 
phenomenon of the resurrection. He speaks of 
the earthquake that rent the rocks — of the glory- 
clad messenger of Jehovah who rolled the stone 
away from the tomb — the fear of the Raman 
guards, and adds " The Angel answered and said 
unto the women, Fear not ve, for I know that ye 

7 »/ 7 c/ 

seek Jesus that was crucified ; he is not here for 
he is risen, as he said ; Come, see the place where 
the Lord lay." 

Luke here takes up the narration and gives an 
account of what they saw inside of the sepulchre, 
after they had entered, in compliance with the in- 
vitation of the anejel who sat upon the stone 
which he had rolled away from the month of the 
tomb. He says, u And they entered in and found 
not the body of the Lord Jesus. And it came to 
pass .... behold two men stood by them." AVe 
would ask the infidel, in all candor, Where is the 
inconsistency ? 

It is evident from the two accounts that they 
found the angel sitting on the stone near the mouth 
of the tomb. He invites them to enter and 
" see where the Lord lay," (i. e. had lain.) His 
language is " Come and see." He may have 
changed his position and escorted them to the 
tomb. He may even have entered with them. — 
He himself may have been one of the two angels 
seen inside. His language, " Come" would jus- 
tify the idea ; but it matters not for the veracity 
of either evangelist, whether he changed his po* 



THE BIBLE TEIOIPHANT. 75 

sition at all or not. As the women approached 
the sepulchre, he was nearer the tomb than they, 
therefore he could with perfect propriety say, 
" Come and see." Suffice it to say, the women 
saw him upon the outside, and he invited them to 
enter the tomb, and when they had entered, they 
saw two angels inside. The fact is as simple as 
the alphabet, and as clear as noonday. Truth 
shines in every sentence ; and yet out of the 
statement, the skeptic has manufactured a propo- 
sition, which he expects to palm off upon the 
world, as a " self -contradiction of the BihleP 



S5. Two Angels were seen within the Sepulchre,— And as she 

wept she stooped down and looked into the sepulchre, and seeth 
two angehin white.— John 20: 11, 12. 

Hut OXTJ Angel was seen within the SejmlcJire.— And enter" 
ing into the sepulchre, they saw a young man sitting on the right 
side, clothed in a long white garment.— Mark 16: 5, 

There is no difficulty in these texts, when we 
learn by the connection that the incidents occurred 
at two different visits to the sepulchre. Mark is 
speaking of the first, and of what the women saw 
inside, and in doing so he only mentions the angel 
who spoke, thereby making himself more promi- 
nent than his companion. 

And John records Mary's second visit, after the 
other women had gone, and also the disciples, 
and while she stood there weeping "she stooped 
down and looked into the sepulchre, and seeth 
two angels in white," &c. Hence we see that 
the entire narration is consistent with itself, al- 
though it is given in parts, frequently disconnect- 
ed and by four different individuals. 



86. Christ was to he three days and three \nights in the 
grave.— So shall the Son of Man be three days and three nights in 
the heart of the earth.— Matt. 12: 40. 



76 THE BIBLE TRIUMPHANT. 

Christ tvas but TWO days and TWO nights in the grave,-' 

And it was the third hour, and they crucified him It was the 

preparation, that is, the day before the Sabbath And Pilate 

gave the body to Joseph. And he laid him in a sepulchre 

Now, when Jesus was risen early the first day of the week, he 

appeared first to Mary Magdalene.— Mark 15: 25, 42, 44, 45, 46. Mark 
16:9. 



The expression used in Matt. 12: 40, is merely 
a synecdoche, or a phrase wherin a part is spoken 
of as the whole. " Day and night" was a com- 
mon term amongst the Jews, aj)plied in the reck- 
oning of time to a day or to any part of a day. — - 
Thus, as Jonah was three days and three nights 
in the fish, so was the son of man to be in the 
earth. That is, simply three days, not seventy-two 
hours. Thus he was swallowed by the fish on 
one day (day and night), remained in the fish the 
second, and was discharged from it the third day. 
Hence it may be said that he was three days and 
three nights (a part of three days) in the fish. — 
The same mode of expression is adopted even in 
our own times on many occasions ; for instance, 
there are three days of grace on bills of exchange, 
that is, of course, twenty-four hours for each clay. 
The bill becomes due on the fifth of the month, 
and the three days of grace expire on the sev- 
enth, so there is actually but one ivhole day, and 
only a part of two days. 

In Gen 1: the evening and the morning (night 
and day) are no less than six times called simply 
"'day." And again in Gen. 7: 17, the term forty 
days is used for forty days and forty nights. — 
Lastly, the transaction mentioned in Esther 4: 16, 
and Esther 5: 1, proves beyond all dispute, that the 
expression, day and night, merely meant what 
we call day. There it is recorded that Esther and 
the Jews fasted three days and three nights. And 
this, although the day on which the command was 
given is included, and the third day, the day of 



THE BIBLE TRIUMPHANT. 77 

the banquet (ver. 4) is also included, so that in 
fact there was but one whole day, or a part of two 
days and two nights, and yet that period is called 
three days and three nights, which simply implies 
three days or even parts of days. See Dr. Sleigh. 

87. T7ie DZoly Ghost bestowed at Pentecost.— But ye shall re- 
ceive power after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you. .....Ye shall 

be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence,— Acts 1: 8, 5, 
And when the day of Pentecost was fully come they were all of one 

accord in one place And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost. 

—Acts 1; 4. 

TJie Holy Ghost bestowed BJEFOJtE Pentecost.— And when he 

had said this he breathed on them, And said unto them.. Receive ye 
the Holy Ghost.— Jehn 20: 22. 

The words, "Beceive ye the Holy Ghost," 
contain a promise that it shall be bestowed, but it 
does not specify any time when it shall be given. 
And, although the disciples had the promise oi 
the Holy Ghost, they did not expect it previous 
to the ascension of the Messiah, for Jesus distinct- 
ly tells them that " If I go not away, the Com- 
forter (or Holy Ghost) will not come." 

8S. The Disciples were commanded immediately after the 
Resurrection to go into Galilee. — Then said Jesus unto them, Be 
not afraid ; go tell my brethren that they go into Galilee, and there 
shall they see me.— Matt. 28: 10. 

The Disciples were commanded immediately after the Jles*> 
urrection to TARRY AT JERUSALEM.— But tarry ye in Je- 
rusalem until ye be endued with power from on high.— Lu. 24: 49. 

The command " Tarry ye in Jerusalem until 
ye be endued with power from on high," was not 
given immediately after the resurrection, as the 
skeptic distinctly states, but after Jesus had tar- 
ried with his dmdples for forty days / it was the 
very last charge he gave them before his ascen- 
sion! Is it ignorance, worse than that which 
characterized the dark ages, or willful falsehood, 
wWch we are thus called upon to expose ? 



78 THE BIBLE TRIUMPHANT. 

89, Jesus first appeared to the eleven disciples in a room at 
Jerusalem. — And they rose up the same hour and returned to 

Jerusalem, and found the eleven gathered together And as 

they spake, Jesus himself stood in the midst of them But they 

were terrified and affrighted, and 'supposed that they had seen a 
spirit.— Luke 24: 33, 36, 37. The same day, at evening, being the first 
day of the week, when the doors were shut, where the disciples were 
assembled came Jesus and stood in the midst.— John 20 : 19. 

tTestts first appeared to theJEleven on a MOUNTAIN in GATj- 
IZJ5~E,— Then the eleven disciples went away into Galilee, unto a 
mountain where Jesus had appointed. And when they saw him 
they worshipped him, but some doubted.— Matt. 28 : 16, 17. 

There is surely no discrepancy here. It is ev- 
ident from the reading of the Word, that the 
meeting in Jerusalem was previous to the one in 
Galilee. On the same night after his resurrec- 
tion, his disciples were voluntarily gathered to- 
gether in Jerusalem (previous to going into Gali- 
lei) and the Lord appeared unto them. Luke 
24: is a very comprehensive chapter — it embra- 
ces a period of forty days, or the whole time from 
the resurrection to the ascension of our Lord, and 
in consequence of its brevity, many things are 
necessarilv omitted, and anions: them we find the 
meeting of Jesus with his disciples on the mount 
in Galilee, according to previous appointment.— 
This elipsis is filled by Matthew, but because one 
evangelist records what another omits, is certain- 
ly no proof that the Bible contradicts itself. And, 
although it is evident from the connection that 
the meeting in Jerusalem was the first one, after 
his resurrection, it is well to observe that neither 
of 'them is called the first meeting in the text, 

90, Christ ascended, from Mount Olivet.— And when he had 
spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up, and a 

cloud received him out of their sight Then returned they 

unto Jerusalem, from the mount called Olivet,— Acts 1 : 9, 12. 

Christ ascended from BETHANY —Audi he led them out as 
far as to Bethany; and he lifted up his hands and blessed them.— 
And it came to pass that while he blessed them, he was parted 
from them, and carried up into heaven.— Luke 21 : 50,51. 



THE BIBLE TIUCMPIIAXT, 79 

Modern skeptics of small intellect, and less in- 
formation, have said a great deal about the two 
texts above quoted. We have read about this 
" dreadful contradiction, so fatal to the veracity of 
the sacred writers," and they ask, with all the 
sarcasm of conceited ignorance, " Which tells the 
truth ?" Shall we believe Luke, or the statement 
found in Acts ?" To which we reply, believe them 
both. Allow us to state, for the information of 
this class of second-rate infidels, that " Bethany 
was a village which was built on the south-east 
side of the mount of Olives. See Mark 11: 1, 
also Bible Dictionary, Encyclopedia, &c. Hence, 
the difficulty at once vanishes, and we find that a 
little knowledge of geography would not be out 
of place in the infidel's brain. Suppose an au- 
thor in writing the life of George Washington, 
should say in one place that he died at Mount 
Vernon, and again that he died in Virginia — if a 
man should attempt to prove that in making these 
two statements, the author contradicted himself, 
the civilized world would at once pronounce him 
either a lunatic or a fool, and yet in the above 
proposition, the comjDiler places himself in the 
feanie position. 



91. l*auVs attendants heard the miracxdoiis voice, and stood 
speechless. — And the men which journeyed with [Paul] stood 
speechless, hearing a voice but seeing no man. — Acts 9 : 7. 

Paul's attendants heard XOT the voice, and were Prostrate. 

*^And they that were with me saw indeed the light and were 
afraid; but they heard not the voice of him that spake to me.— 
Acts 22: 9, And when we were all fallen to the earth, I heard a 

voice.— Acts 26 : 14. 

A little investigation reveals the simple truth 
and harmony of this apparent discrepancy. The 
verb " to hear," is repeatedly used, not only in 
the Scriptures, but also in common conversation, 
to signify, not merely the hearing of a voice, (or 



SO Tim bible TuruMPirAim 

sound,) "but the imderstanding, or obeying it, 
for instance, the Lord Jesus said to those who 
heard him, " He that hath ears to hear, let him 
hear," (or understand,) Again, he that heareth 
you, (the Apostles,) heareth (or obeyeth) me. — 
And people often say to a stubborn or stupid 
child, "Do you hear me ?" That is, do you un- 
derstand me ? or will you obey me ? The case 
mentioned above is simply this ; In the first in- 
stance, the narrator states that the mea who ac- 
companied Paul, heard a voice, that is, w r ere mere- 
ly sensible that some one spoke : whereas in the 
second instance, Paul declares they heard not the 
Toice of him that spake unto him, (Paul,) that is 
they comprehended not its meaning, or under- 
stood not what was said. And this explanation 
is fully sustained by some of our best modern 
translations, among which we may mention — 
" The Diaglott," "*The Improved Version," and 
u Wakefield." In relation to thor position of the 
parties, it is easy to see that in this connection, 
the words " stood speechless," merely indicate m 
condition, and have no reference to posture. As 
man may stand speechless, stand in doubt, stand in 
fear, stand firm, or stand in awe, and at the same 
time choose any position of body he pleases. He 
may be sitting, or standing, or lying down, with- 
out impeaching the veracity of the narrator, who 
speaks of him as being in these conditions. It is 
clear that in the text above referred to, the words, 
u stood speechless," simply imply a condition of 
of dumbness, and convey the same idea as if the 
author had said they remained speechless, or re- 
mained silent. 



92. Abraham, tiejmrted to go into Canaan.— And Abraro 

took Sarah his wife, and Lot, his brother's son and they went 

forth to go into the land of Canaan, and into the land of Canaan 
they came.— Gen. 12^ 5, 



TfTE fclBTJS TKIUMPIIAXT. $1 

JLhrdhant ivent, not knowing iv7icre.—By faith Abraham when 
he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive 
for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out not knowing whither 
lie went.— Keb. 11 : 8» 

There is not a shadow of Inconsistency here.— 
The Lord called upon Abraham to leave his coun- 
try, his kindred, and his father's house, and go 
into a land which he promised to show frnto him. 
<; So Abraham departed, as the Lord had spoken 
unto him." He implicitly believed the words 
of Jehovah, and " went out, not knowing whitt> 
<er he went;" but the Lord led him on, until he 
<?ame into the land of Canaan, and then "the 
Lord appeared unto Abraham and said, unto thy 
seed will I give this land ; and there builded he 
an altar unto the Lord who appeared unto him. 55 
If Abraham knew when he went forth, that it 
was the land of Canaan which the Lord designed 
to give him, (as the skeptic basely insinuates,) 
why was it necessary for the Lord to appear to 
him on his arrival there, and tell him that which 
he knew already? 

We are weary of explaining propositions like 
the above, which are so simple that they 7ieed no 
solution, and were it not that the little work be- 
fore us is considered the " strong tower" of infi- 
delity, we should have thrown it aside long since, 
in disgust. 



93* Abraham had Two Sons.— Abraham had two sons ; th$ 
'one by a bond-woman, and the other by a free woman.— Gal. 4: 22. 

Abraham had but ONE sen.— By faith Abraham when he was 
tried, offered up Isaac,. ..,.,., .his only begotten son*— Heb, 11 : 17. 

The only difficulty in this proposition, is in the 
text in Heb., where Isaac is spoken of as the 
only begotten son of Abraham, while the patri- 
arch was the father of another child, according to 
the ilesh* But this apparent obscurity of expres- 



82 THE BIBLE TPJL T MPJiAirf, 

sion, is at once removed, by a careful reading of 
the text and its connections. Please notice. — - 
" By faith, Abraham, when he was tried, offered 
lip Isaac; and he that had received the promises, 
ottered up his only begotton son, of whom it was 
said, that in Isaac shall thy seed be called." — ■• 
Hence we see at once that the text does not say 
that Isaac was the only son of Abraham, but that 
he was the " only begotten son of whom (or com 
mrning whom, according to Dr. Doddrige,) it was 
said, That in Isaac shall thy seed be called." — 
Still, Isaac might very properly be called the only 
begotten son, in a legal point of view, as he was 
the only child of Abraham's lawful wife, the heir 
of his father's property, and the heir of God's 
promises to Abraham's seed. 



94. Keturah was Abraham's wife.-— Then again Abraham took 
a wife, and her name was Keturah.— Gen. 25 : 1. 

JKeturahwas Abraham* s COJTCUBINJZ.—The sons of Keturah 
Abraham's concubine.— 1 Chron. 1: 32. 

The boasted " contradiction " between these 
two texts, vanishes like dew before the sun, when 
exposed to the candid light of honest investiga- 
tion. A close examination of Gen. 25: 1, ex- 
plains the matter clearly, for the word that is here 
rendered " wife," is in the Hebrew " as/taw" 
and its primary definition, as given by Geseitiu^ 
is " A woman, female of any age or condition, 
married or unmarried. It is used in Cant, 1: 8, 
in the expression, "O thou fairest among women." 
It is applied to unmarried females, in Gen. 24: 5, 
also in Isa. 4: 1. It is used as the name of the 
sex, and is thus applied to animals, to denote the 
female, in Gen* 1: 2. Frequent in the phrase 
" lakah lo leashaw" to take to one's self a woman 
for a wife. See Gen. 4: 19, 6: 2. Spoken also of 
a concubine in Gen, 30: 4, and in Judges. It is 



TIIF. BIBLE TRIUMPHANT. 83 

also a term of reproach for a man who is weak, 
cowardly, or effeminate, as in Isa. 19: 16; Isa. 3: 
12; Jer. 51: 30; also Kah. 3: 13.* This being 
the definition of the word, as given by the best 
authority we have, the text ceases to present even 
the semblance of a contradiction to 1 Chron. Is 
32. Even admitting that the word asAaw denotes 
a wife, in the above connection, the difficulty is 
obviated by a critical definition of the word concu* 
bine. It is thus defined by Webster : " a wife of 
inferior condition; a lawful wife, but not united 
to the man by the usual ceremonies, and of infe- 
rior condition. Such were Hagar and Keturah, 
the concubines of Abraham, and such concubines 
were allowed by the Roman laws." See Web- 
ster's Unabridged Dictionary. Hence the infi- 
dePs case is rendered hopeless, by the light of 
truth. 



P5. Abraham begat a son when he teas ct hundred years 
old, by the interposition of l J rovidcnce. — Sarah conceived and 
bare Abraham a son in his old age, at the set time of which God 
had spoken to him. — Gen* 21 : 2. And being not weak in the 
faith, he considered not his own body, now dead, when he was a 
hundred years old.— -Rom. 4: 19. Therefore sprang there even 
from one, and him as good as dead, so many as the stars of the sky. 
-Heb. 11 : 12. 

Abraham begat SIX children more, after he was a hundred 
years old, WITHOUT any interposition of Providence, — Then 
again Abraham took a wife and her name was Keturah ; and she 
bare him Zimram, and Jokshan, and Medan, and Midian, and 
Ishbak, and Shuah.— Gen. 25 : 1, 2. 

The skeptic does not eyen claim a contradiction 
here. Hence we have nothing to do. It was evi- 
dently inserted in the series before us, simply to 
make the number complete. His proposition in 
itself, does not present even a semblance of dis- 
crepancy. He says, "Abraham begat a son. 



'See Gesenius' Hebrew Lexicon, page 02 apd 93, 



S4 THE BIBLE TRIUMPHANT. 

when he was a hundred years old, by the interpo- 
sition of Providence," in which statement he is 
well sustained by the inspired record. He also 
says that " Abraham begat six children more, af- 
ter he was a hundred years old," &c, &c. Well, 
what of it? Where is the contradiction? It is 
not even surprising as a physiological fact, that he 
should become the father of other children, after 
-his youthful vigor had been miraculously restored. 
We have found many propositions before this, 
which were weak enough to excite either our pity 
t>r contempt, but this is surely the most insipid 
objection to the veracity of Bible writers, that we 
liave ever seen. What a system must infidelity 
be, when its votaries are driven to such foolish 
and contemptible objections to God's word, in or- 
der to maintain its very existence. 



D6. Jacob bought a sepulchre from Mamor. — And the bones of 

Joseph buried they in Shechem, in a parcel of ground which 

Jacob bought of the sons of Hamor, the father of Shechem.^ 
Josh. 24: 32. 

AJBHAHA3I bought it of Haraor.—Jn the sepulchre that Abra- 
ham bought for a sum of money of the sons of Emmor, the father 
of Sychem.— Acts 7 : 16. 

We have the statement here quoted, that Jacob 
bought " a parcel of ground," of the sons of 
Hamor, the father of Shechem, and again that 
Abraham bought a sepulchre of the same party. 
And because the field which Jacob bought was used 
as a burial place, the infidel endeavors to make 
it appear that it was identical with the septdchre 
purchased by Abraham. One man bought afield 
and the other a sepulchre, but they were purchas- 
ed from the same party, therefore the skeptic ea- 
gerly exclaims, " the Bible contradicts itself" — 
This is evidently a very satisfactory conclusion for 
him to come to, but the mode of reasoning which 



TtfE BIBLE TRIUMPHANT. 85 

lie adopts is, to say the least, a little peculiar.— 
The fact that two different parties make a purchase 
of land from the same individual, certainly does 
not indicate that they both bought the same piece 
of property. It is probable mat Jacob bought 
the Held surrounding the sepulchre, purchased by 
Abraham, thereby enlarging the burial-place of 
hia fathers'. Still, the two pieces of property may 
have been many miles apart, without impeaching 
in the least, the veracity ot the sacred writer. 



$)?. God 2? ro wised the land of Canaan to Abraham and his 
meed forever.-^- And the Lord said unto Abraham, after Lot was 
separated from him. Lift up now thine eyes and look from the 
place where thou art, northward and southward, and eastward and 
westward; for a U the land which thou seest, to thee will I give it 

and to thy seed forever For I will give it unto thee Unto 

thee and thy seed after thee.~Gen. 13 : 14, 15, 17; Gen. 17 : 8. 

Abraham and his se?d never received the promised land.-~ 

And he gave him [Abraham] none inheritance in it, no, not so 
much as to set his foot on/— Acts 7s 15. By faith he sojourned in the 
land of promise as in a strange country, dwelling in tents with 
Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise. ...»».». These 
all died in faith, not having received the promises. — Heb» 11: 9, 13. 

It is clear from the covenant which God made 
with Abraham, that he was to inherit the land of 
Canaan forever. God assures him that he will 
give him all the land between the two great rivers 
Egypt and Euphrates, for an everlasting jyossession , 
and he not only promised this land to Abraham, 
but to Christ, as his seed. For Paul says, " To 
Abraham and his seed were the promises made. 
He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of 
one, And to thy seed, which is Christ. 5 ' GaL 3:16. 
Christ then was a party to the covenant, and must 
inherit the land with Abraham, forever. The infi- 
del, however, finds what he claims to be a mistake, 
from the fact that Abraham did not receive the 
promised inheritance before his death. But the 



86 Tlltt B1BLK TRItMPttAST. 

promise standetli sure, it is still gleaming in the 
temple of truth, and eternity will vindicate the 
justice and veracity of Jehovah. The patriarch 
did not expect to receive the promised possesion 
in his natural life time ; a mortal man could not 
receive an everlasting inheritance. 

Paul says of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, that 
they "died in the faith^ not having received the 
promises, but having seen them afar off, were per- 
suaded of them and embraced them, and confess- 
ed that they were pilgrims and strangers." They 
were looking on beyond the resurrection of God's 
sleeping children— beyond the second coming of 
Jesus, to the age of millennial glory, when Mes- 
siah shall reign from sea to sea, and from the riv- 
ers to the ends of the earth. Then shall the an- 
cient worthies stand upon the glorified hill-tops of 
a purified earth, and walk beside the crystal 
streams of Eden restored. The crown of immor- 
tal youth shall rest upon their brows and they shall 
receive the inheritance which was promised to 
Abraham and his seed for an everlasting posses- 
sion. "Where " the kingdom is the Lord's and 
he is the governor among the nations." A skep- 
tic's eye can never reach the glories of the prom- 
ised land, his mind can never appreciate the love- 
liness of a new born earth, where every knee 
shall bow and every tongue confess the glory of 
the Lord. 

God never indicated to Abraham that he was to 
receive the inheritance during his natural life 
time, but the patriarch looked forward with joyful 
anticipation to the time when there should be giv- 
en to the Son of man, dominion and glory, and a 
kingdom, that all people, nations and languages 
should serve him ; for his dominion shall be an 
everlasting dominion, and his kingdom that which 
shall not be destroyed^ Then instead of the 



£t*> 



TltS JSIMM TPatMPlTAXT. bi 

thorn, .shall come up the fir-tree, instead of the 
brier, shall Come Up the mvrtle-tree. Please see 
Dan. 7: 13, 14, 27; Ps. 22: 27, 28; Rev. 5: 10; 
Matt. 19: 28; Luke 1: 31: 32; Rev. 20: 4, 6; Ps, 
2: 6, 10 ; Matt. 5: 5; Bev. 11: 15, 



98. Goliath Wat stain hy Jtfthitntih—And there was a grain a 
battle in Gob with the Philistines, where Elhanan the son of Jaare- 
oregim a Bethleheraite, slew [" the brother of.'* supplied by the 
translators] Goliath the dittite, the Btafi of whose speaf Was like it 
weaver's beam. — 2 Sain. 21 : 19. 

The BROTHER of Goliath was slain hyElh<tnan.—AT\& there 
Was war again with the Philistines, and Elhanan the son of Jair 
slew Lahtni the brother of Goliath the Gittite, whose spear's staff was 
like a weaver's beam.— 1 Chron. 20 : 5. 



The Variation ill the two texts above quoted, is 
easily accounted for, by considering that "ore- 
gtm" which signifies weavers, has slipped out of 
one line into the other, and that " Beth ha lachmi" 
the Bethlemite 9 is corrupted from " eth laehmi" 
(Lahmi, the brother,) then the reading will be the 
same as in Chronicles. Dr. Kennicott has made 
this appear very plain in his first dissertation on the 
Hebrew text, page 78. Hence it will be seen that 
what the infidel supposes to be a mistake of inspi- 
ration, was merely the oversight of a transcriber, 
and surely no one claims that either the transcri- 
bers or translators of the Bible, were either in- 
spired or infallible. We would remark further, 
that although the variation may be easily account- 
ed for as above, and the texts harmonized upon 
the idea that the same giant is referred to in both 
places, still it does not necessarily follow that this 
is the case. For the Goliath which David slew, 
had four sons, all of whom were giants, and bore 
the family name of their father. (See Winer;) — - 
And it is not at all unlikely that Elhanan, a chief 
in David's army, may have slain more than one 



88 THE BIBLE TttltttWlA^T. 

of them in battle. We can see no inconsistency 
between the statement that he slew " Goliath the 
Gittite," and the declaration that "Lahmi, the 
brother of Goliath the Gittite," fell also by his 
hand. 



t)9. Ahnzifth brtjnn io reign in the twelfth tfenr nf ,Toram.— 

In the twelfth year of Joram, the son of Ahab, king of Israel, did 
Ahaziah the son of Jehoratn king of Judah begin to reign.— 2 
Kings, 8 : 25. 

JMaziah Began to reign In the ETLIZVJZ'KTIL year of Jorarn* 

In the eleventh year of Joram the son of Ahab began Ahaziah to 
reign over Judah.— 2 Kings* 9 : 29. 

The note in our margin contains as good an 
account of this chronological difficulty, as can be 
reasonably required. Then he began to reign as 
viceroy to his father in his sickness. 2 Chron. 
21: 18, 19. But in Joram's twelfth year he began 
to reign alone. 2 Chron. 8: 26. See Dr. Clarke. 



XOO. Miehal had no c/n'ltf.—Th ere fore Michal the daughter of 
Saul, had no child unto the day of her death.— 2 Sam. 6: 28. 

Miehal hadfttie children*— The fiv<i Sons of Michal the daughter 
of Saul— 2 Sam. 21: 8. 

The marginal reading solves this problem also. 
It explains the text in 2 Sam. 21: 8, as follows ; 
" The five sons of Michal's sister, the daughter 
of Saul." It is evident that after the death of 
her sister Michal took her five sons " whom she 
brought up for Adriel," (the father of the chil- 
dren.) Two of Dr. Kennicott's manuscripts have 
Merab, the sister of Michal, not Michal, the 
Chaldee has properly Merab, but it renders the 
passage thus: "And the five sons of Merab, 
which Michal, the daughter of Saul brought up." 
With this view, the whole difficulty vanishes at 
once. We have not, in this harmony, claimed in- 



THE BIBLE XBIOIPHANT. S& 

fallibility for the King's translation. All we have 
proposed to do, was to show that one Bible wri- 
ter has not contradicted another, or crossed him- 
self. 

101. David teas tempted btj the lord to number Israel. — And 

the anger of the Lord was kindled against Israel, and he moved 
David against them to say, Go number Israel and Judah.— 2 Sam. 
24:1. 

David *c<*$ tempted by SATAN to nnmher the people.— And 
Satan stood up against Israel and provoked David to number 
Israel— 1 Chr. 21:1. 



The apparent contradiction between these two 
texts, arises from inferring that the pronoun "he," 
in 2 Sam. 24: l y refers to Jehovah, instead of Sa- 
tan, whom we are informed in the other passage, 
was the tempter. The antecedent of the pronoun 
"he," is found in the margin, which reads "Sa- 
tan." Dr. Boothroyd, renders the text, "The an- 
ger of the Lord w^as excited against Israel, because 
an adversary stood up and moved David, ttc. — 
Jehovah's displeasure was evidently the effect, not 
the came, of this numbering of Israel, which Satan 
induced David to do, preparatory doubtless, to 
engaging in some new contest, which his ambition 
had in view. 



102. The nu'niber of fighting men of Israel teas 800,000 ; 
and of Judah 500,000— And Joab gave up the sum of the num- 
ber of the people unto the king: and there were in Israel eight 
hundred thousand valiant men that drew the sword: and the men 
of Judah five hundred thousand men.— 2 Sam. 24: 9. 

The number of fighting men of Israel t&as 1,100,000 ; and 
ef Judah 470,000.— And Joab gave the sum of the number of the 
people unto David. And all they of Israel were a thousand thous- 
and and a hundred thousand [1,100,00&] men that drew the sword : and 
Judah was four hundred three score and ten thousand [470,000] men 
that drew the sword.— 1 Chron. 21: 5. 

It is written in 2 Sam. 24: 9, that " there were 
in Israel eight hundred thousand valiant men 



DO THE BIBLE TRIUMPHANT. 

that drew the sword ; and men of Judah five 
hundred thousand," but in CI iron, we find "the 
number of Israel were eleven hundred thousand ; 
and Judah four hundred three score and ten 
thousand," making, to all appearance, a differ- 
ence of three hundred thousand Israelites, and 
thirty thousand Benjaminites. But it appears from 
Chronicles that there were twelve divisions of 
generals, who commanded monthly, and whose 
duty it was to keep guard near the king's person, 
each having a body of troops consisting of twenty- 
four thousand men, which jointly formed a grand 
army of two hundred and eighty-eight thousand; 
and as a separate body of twelve thousand men 
attended on the twelve princes of the twelve 
tribes, mentioned in the same chapter, the whole 
makes three hundred thousand, which is just the 
difference between the two accounts of eight hun- 
dred thousand, and of one million one hundred 
thousand. And here we have found the natural 
solution of the difficulty. 

As to the men in Israel, the author of Samuel 
does not take notice of the three hundred thou- 
sand, because they were in the actual service of 
the long as a standing army, and therefore there 
was no need of numbering them ; but in Chronicles 
they are joined to the rest, saying expressly, "all 
those of Israel were one million one hundred thou* 
sand." But in Samuel, where only the eight hun- 
dred thousand men are recorded, it does not say 
"all those of Israel," but merely "and Israel were," 
&c. It must also be borne in mind, that exclu- 
sively of the troops before mentioned, there was 
an army of observation on the frontiers of the 
Philistine's country composed of thirty thousand 
men, as appears by 2 Sam. 6: 1 ; and these it ap- 
pears were included in the number of five hun- 
dred thousand of the people of Judah, which 
we find recorded in Samuel ; but the author of 



THE BIBLE TEIUMPHANT. 91 

Chronicles, who mentions only four hundred and 
seventy thousand, gives the number of that tribe 
exclusively of those thirty thousand men, because 
they were not all of the tribe of Judah. And 
therefore he does not say " all those of Judah,' 5 as 
he had said " all those of Israel ; w but he only 
says, " and those of Judah." Here both ac- 
counts are fully explained and harmonized, mere- 
ly by referring to other portions of Scripture 
treating on the same subject. Truly 

M God is His own interpreter, 
And He will make it plain." 



103. David sinned in numbering tJte People. — And David's 
heart smote him after that he had numbered the people. And Da- 
vid said unto the Lord, I have sinned greatly in that I have done. — 2 
Sam, 24:10, 

David NEVER sinned, EXCEPT IX THE MATTER OE 
T'RIAII.—Da,vid did that which was right in the eyes of the Lord, 
and turned not aside from anything that he commanded him all the 
days of his life, save only in the matter of Uriah the Hittite,— 1 

Kings 15: 5. 

The one text in 2 Sam. 24: 10, presents David's 
confession of foolishness in the matter of number- 
ing Israel. The Hebrew word here translated 
sinned is gahtah, and is defined by Gesenius thus: 
To miss, not to hit the mark, spoken of an arch- 
er, (see Judg. 20: 16,) also of the feet, to miss, to 
make a false step, to stumble and fall. To sin, 
to forfeit, to bear the loss of anything, &c., &c. 
See Gesenius, page 307. 

Sin is a transgression of the law, and although it 
is evident that David did wrong, that he commit- 
ted an error in his administration, as King of Is- 
rael, still in this act he violated no command or 
law of God, either written or oral, of which we 
have any account. 

The other text teaches that David obeyed all 
the commands of God, except in the case of Uriah, 



92 THE BIBLE TRIUMPHANT. 

the Hittite, and we challenge the skeptic to find 
one command or statute of God which David vi- 
olated during his whole reign except this. 



104. One of the Penalties of David's sin was seven years 
of famine,— $o Gad came to David and told him, Shall seven years 
of famine come unto thee in thy land ?— 2 Sam. 24: 13. 

It was not seven, but THMJEJE years of Famine .—So Gad came 
to David and said unto him, Thus saith the Lord, choose thee either 
three years of famine,— 1 Chr. 21:11, 12. 

In reference to this proposition we will merely 
remark upon the well known fact, that in Hebrew 
and Greek, numbers are expressed by the alpha- 
betical characters. In Hebrew the letter zain 
signifies seven, while gimel denotes three, and 
the characters are so nearly alike that any trans- 
lator might be excused for mistaking them, unless 
the type, ink, and paper, were of the first quality, 
which certainly was not the case at the time King 
James' version was given to the public. 

In 2 Sam. 21: 13, the Septuagint reads, " shall 
three years of famine," &c., being the same as in 
Chronicles., and this is doubtless the true render- 
ing. 



105. David ioolc Seven Hundred Horsemen.— And David 

took from him a thousand chariots and seven hundred horsemen.--' 
2 Sam. 8'. 4. 

David took &MFJ82T THOUSAND Horsemen.— And David 
took from him athou3and chariots and seven thousand horseinen.-=» 
lChron.l8;4. 

The word going before horsemen, in 1 Chron. 
1.8: 4, is Atvlaph, and Gesenius gives to this word 
as the primary definition, " to join together, to 
associate, whence a thousand, a family. Not un- 
frequently it is put for a large round number. See 
Job 9: 3 ; Job 33: 23, also Ps. 50: 10. Put also 
for an indefinitely large round number. Gen. 24: 



THE BIBLE TRIUMPHANT. 93 

60. A family, also as the subdivision of a tribe, 
Judg. 6: 15 ; 1 Sam. 10: 19, 1 Sam. 23: 23.— 
Spoken also of a city as the residence of such a 
family. Mic. 5: 1. See Gesenius' Hebrew Lex- 
icon, page 59. 

Hence we infer that while the number of horse- 
men captured is explicitly stated in 2 Sam. 8: 4, it 
is spoken of indefinitely in Chronicles; the word in 
this connection meaning simply a large or round 
number, and probably the word itself might, with 
equal propriety, be rendered, hundreds, thou- 
sands, or millions, but other portions of \k\^ di- 
vine Record state the matter so explicitly t as to 
leave no possibility of being misunderstood. 



106. David bought a Threshing Floor far fifty shehles of 
silver,— So David bought the threshing floor and the oxen for fifty 
shekles of silver— 2 Sam. 24: 24. 

Jiavid bought the Threshing Foor for SIX HVXDJtFH) 
shekles of gold.— So David gave to Oman for the place six hun- 
dred shekles of gold.— 1 Chr. 21 : 2o. 

We find by a careful examination of these two 
passages that the writer of the book of Samuel 
mentions only what David gave for the threshing 
floor, (a place only about six or eight yards wide) 
and the oxen and instruments of wood, (ver. 22) 
viz : fifty shekels of silver. But the writer of the 
book of Chronicles does not state the price David 
gave for these things, but informs us what ho 
paid for the whole place, (ver. 25) that, is for the 
land upon which this threshing floor stood, viz: 
"six hundred shekels of gold, by weight." And 
history informs us that this " place" was actually 
that, which was afterwards called Mount Zion, be- 
ing about nine hundred yards in length, and six 
hundred in width. 

How easily every objection to God's word is 
removed by the clear light of honest investigation. 



94 THE BIBLE TRIUMPHANT* 

For eighteen hundred years this little volume has 
been exposed to the fire of the keenest criticism. 
Infidels of every age have sought to impeach its 
veracity, and question its authority. The my- 
thology of the llliad has passed away, the fables 
of theShaster, the Talmud, and the Koran, have 
fallen before the lights of science and civilization. 
But the Bible lies before us to day unscathed, and 
untouched by man's puny efforts. It is still the 
glorious day-star of eternal truth, which guides 
the wandering feet of humanity through the wil- 
derness of time, and leads them to the fair heights 
of the glory-clad mountains that arise beyond the 
tomb. It is the "Pillar Cloud," to the marching 
columns of God's little ones — guiding slowly, but 
guiding surely to the sun-lit plains of peace and 
gladness, that rest in the kingdom of God. 



107* Daviil's Throne was to endure forever.— Once have I 
sworn by my holiness that I will not lie unto David. His seed shall 
endure forever and his throne as the sun before me. It shall bo 
established forever. — Ps. 89: 35, 36, 37. 

David's throne was CAST 2>0 TrV.—Thou hast made his glory 
to cease and hast cast his throne down to the ground.— Ps. 89: 44. 

Truly, " Thou hast made his glory to cease, and 
hast cast his throne down to the ground." But 
this statement, so far from being a mistake of the 
inspired penman, is confirmed by every Historical 
record, and not only so, but the fact here spoken 
of, is in itself a fulfillment of prophecy. I or in 
reference to the last prince that reigned on David's 
throne, we read, "And thou profane wicked 
prince of Israel, whose day is come, when iniqui- 
ty shall have an end. Thus saith the Lord God, 
remove the diadem, take off the crown, this shall 
not be the same ; exalt him that is low, and abase 
him that is high. I will overturn, overturn, over- 
turn it, and it shall be no more, until he come 



THE BIBLE TRIUMPHANT, 95 

whose right it is and I will give it him." — Ezek. 

21: 25, 27. 

Hence we learn that it was decreed in the coun- 
sels of eternal justice, that the kingdom of Israel 
should he overturned, and the crown removed, 
and so it must remain — not forever, but until he 
comes whose right it is and God will give it him. 

Was there ever a prediction more clearly fulfill- 
ed \ Truly, the kingdom of Israel has been over- 
turned by the Gentile nations of earth. The foot 
of the bloody Turk, the haughty Saracen, and the 
invincible Roman, have marred the glorious beauty 
of the land which was promised to Abraham, 
and given to Israel for an everlasting possession. 

The diadem no longer gleams upon the brow of 
holy kings. The sons of Israel are scattered 
among the tribes of earth, and the ITolv Land — the 
birth place of our Savior and Israel's sacred trust 
•—that land which was hallowed above all others, 
has been made a bloody field of contest, where 
the armies of Europe have struggled for centu- 
ries. The temporal succession of her kings has 
ceased, Jerusalem has become heaps, and Zion a 
desolation. The " seven times" of Israel's cap- 
tivity has hung its palling mantle over the throne 
and kingdom of David, and according to the dec- 
laration of Jehovah, they must remain in ruins, 
until he comes whose right it is and God will give 
it him. Hence, when the rightful heir appears, 
the throne will be restored and the kingdom rein- 
stated. And the beautiful prophecy of Isaiah re- 
veals the personage who is the legal heir of Da- 
vid's royal line. u For unto us a child is born, 
unto us a son is £iven, and the government shall 
be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called 
Wonderful Counsellor, the Mighty God, the Ev- 
erlasting Father, the Prince of Peace ; of the in- 
crease of his government and peace there shall be 
no end, upon the throne of David and upon his 



96 THE B1KLE TiaUMPIIANT. 

kingdom, to order it and to establish it, with jus- 
tice and with judgment, from henceforth even for- 
ever — the zeal of the Lord of Hosts shall per- 
form this." See Isa. 9: 6, 7. 

See also the Pentecostal sermon in Acts 2: 29, 
34, which reads thus : " Men and brethren let me 
freely speak unto you of the patriarch David, that 
he is both dead and buried and his sepulchre is 
with us to this day. Therefore being a prophet 
and knowing that God had sworn with an oath 
that of thefruitof his loins, according to the flesh 
he icoidcl raise up Christ to sit on his throne"— 
And in the promise of the angel to Mary, we find 
the words, " He shall be great, and shall be call- 
ed the son of the Highest, and the Lord God 
shcdl give unto him the throne of his father Da- 
vid and he shcdl reign over the house of Jacob 
forever, and of his kingdom there shall be no 
end!" See also 1 Chron. 7: 11, 22 ; 2 Sam. 7: 8, 
26 ; Zech. 6: 12, 13 ; Jer. 21: 27, 31 ; Ezek. 37: 15, 
28 ; Hos. 3: 4, 5. Read also, in connection with 
the above, the 4th chapter of Isaiah, and Hebrew 
1:8. 

Hence, Jesus of Nazareth, the Messiah of the 
Hebrew Scriptures, and the Christos of the Greek, 
is the only legal heir of David's throne, and he 
has never yet been seated there. He is now up- 
on the throne of God at the Father's right hand, 
expecting till his enemies are made his footstool. 
See Heb. 12: 1, 2, Heb. 8: 1. Heb. 10: 12, 14. 

A Spiritual throne erected in the Heavens could 
not fill the promise, for David never reigned 
there ; no throne in Heaven was ever overturned 
or destroyed, and therefore can never be restored. 
" Behold the days come saith the Lord, that I will 
raise unto David a righteous branch, and a king 
shall reign and prosper, and shall execute judg- 
ment and justice in the land. In his days Ju- 
clah shall he saved, and Israel shall dwell safely, 



THE BIBLE TRIUMPHANT. 97 

and this is the name whereby he shall be called, 
the Lord our Bight eousness" Jer. 23: 5-8. — 
Please see Psalm 89: 3, 4. Amos 9: 11. Ezek. 
47: 1, 12, Ps. 22: 28. 

Therefore, when Jesus returns from the Heav- 
ens, and the long promised Millennium dawns up- 
on earth — when Israel is brought back from Gen- 
tile bondage and inherits the promised land — 
when Judah and Israel are no more two nations, 
and one king shall be king to them all — when the 
glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh 
shall see it together — when the kingdom is the 
Lord's, and he is the governor among the nations 
— when His glory shall cover the earth, as the wa- 
ters cover the deep — then indeed will the taberna- 
cle of God be with men, and the oath of Jehovah 
to David will be accomplished. 

Our space forbids anything but the briefest pos- 
sible sketch of this glorious theme. We can only 
cite a few texts out of the multitude that sustain 
our position; but we trust that enough has al- 
ready been said, to convince even the mind of a 
skeptic, of the beautiful harmony and perfect 
consistency of those passages of Holy Writ, 
which he has heretofore supposed to be at vari- 
ance with each other. 



SPECULATIVE DOCTRINES. 

"We now come to the department of our work 
which the infidel is pleased to term " Speculative 
Doctrines," but if he had spent the same amount 
of time in studying the Scriptures, that he has 
employed in unfair compilation — if he were 
learned in the wisdom of God, he would know 
there was nothing " speculative" in the glorious 
truths which Jehovah has revealed to man. 



108, CJirist is Equal with, God,—l and my Father are one.~» 
John 10: 30. Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery 
to be equal with God.— Phil. 2: 5. 

Christ is NOT Equal with God,— My Father is greater than I.— 
John 14: 28. Of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the 
angels of heaven, but my Father only.— Matt. 24: 36. 

John 10: 30, is beautifully explained by the 
connection ; please read what Christ says in 
speaking of his disciples, verse 29. " My Father 
which gave them unto me, is greater than all; and 
no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's 
hand. I and my Father are one." (Greek, one 
thing.) " To snatch my true disciples out of my 
hand, would be to snatch them out of my Fath- 
er's hand, because I and my Father are one — - 
one in design, action, agreement and affection." 
See Newcomb. Christ also prays for his disci- 
ples to become one, in the same sense that he and 
the Father are one. See John 17: 11, 21, 22. — 
And certainly he never intended to pray that they 
might all become one person. See also Gal. 
3: 28. 



THE BIBLE TRIUMPHANT. 99 

In Phil. 2: 5, we read, " "Who being in the form 
of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with 
God," that is, he did not regard it as an act of injus- 
tice to the Father, for him to exert on proper occa- 
sions, his miraculous powers. But King James 5 
version is a little ambiguous here. McKnight 
renders the verse thus, " Who being in the form 
of God, did not think it robbery to be like God." 
Wakefield translates the text as follows : " Who 
though in a divine form, did not think of eagerly 
retaining this Divine likeness, but emptied (or di- 
vested) himself of it, by taking a servant's form ; 
and being like other men with the dispositions of 
a man, he became so obedient as to humble him- 
self unto death, even death upon a cross." It 
must be borne in mind that the previous verses 
are an exhortation to humility, and the lowly 
Jesus is here mentioned, as an example to believ- 
ers. See also the Diaglott, and ISTewcomb's Im- 
proved Version, on this point. It is the uniform 
teaching of the New Testament, that the Father 
is greater than the Son. 

109. Jesus ivas All Powerful. — All power is given unto me in 
heaven and in earth.— Matt. 28: 18. The Father loveth the Son and 
hath given all things into his hand.— John 3: 35. 

Jesus ivas JVOT All Powerful.— And he could there do no 
mighty work, save that he laid his hands on a few sick folks and 
healed them.— Mark 6: 5. 

The "all power," spoken of in Matt. 28: 18, 
was the Gospel and miraculous power delegated 
to him by his Father. Mark 6: 5, the Diaglott 
gives as follows : " And he was unwilling to do 
any miracles there, except a few sick persons he 
cured by laying his hands on them." See Matt. 
13: 58 ; Mark 9: 23. 

1 10. The Zaw ivas Superceded by the Christian Dispensa- 
tion.— The law and the prophets were until John ; since that time 



100 THE BIBLE TRIUMPHANT. 

the kingdom of God is preached.— Luke 16: 16. Having abolished in 
the flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in 
ordinances.— Eph. 2: 15. But now we are delivered from the law.— 
Bom. 7: 6. 

The IjClw was NOT Superceded by the Christian Dispensa- 
tion*— I am come not to destroy the law but to fulfill. For verily I 
say unto you, till heaven and earth shall pass, one jot or tittle shall 
in no wise pass from the law till all be fulfilled. Whosever there- 
forexshall break one of the least commandments and shall teach 
men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven. — 
Matt. 5: 17, 18, 19. 

Yerily, Christ came not to destroy the law — he 
did not come to violate the obligation men are un- 
der, to have their lives regulated by moral pre- 
cepts, or to dissolve the reference it has to things 
promised. But he says, " I am come to complete 
\pleroosai) or perfect and accomplish every thing 
shadowed forth in the Mosaic ritual, to fill up its 
great design, and to teach my followers to fill up 
or complete every moral duty. Christ completed 
the law^, which was in itself, only the shadow or 
typical representation of things to come. He 
added to it that which was necessary to make it 
perfect, viz: the sacrifice of himself, without 
which it could neither satisfy God, nor benefit 
man ; for it is to " the Lamb slain from the foun- 
dation of the world," that its types and shadows 
refer. One jot nor one tittle would not pass from 
the law until all be fulfilled ; one jot or one yod 
is the smallest letter in the Hebrew alphabet, and 
one tittle or point probably means those points 
which served for vowels in the language, if they 
then existed— if not, they must refer to the apices 
or points of certain letters, such as resh, daleth, he 
or cheth. The change of any of these into the 
other, would make a most essential alteration in 
the sense, or as the Rabbins say, " destroy the 
world." Hence the above expression of Jesus is 
full of emphasis, and though all the forces of the 
xmiverse should join together to prevent the ac- 



THE BIBLE TRIUMPHANT. 101 

complisliment of the great designs of the Most 
High, it is all in vain — not even the sense of a 
single letter shall be lost, for the words of Jeho- 
vah are unchangeable and immutable. 

" Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to 
bring us unto Christ, 55 Gal. 3: 24, Christ came 
not to destroy the law, but to fulfill it, and being 
fulfilled, its work is done. " For Christ is the 
end of the law for righteousness to every one that 
belie veth. 55 Eom. 10: 4. So that " Now we are 
delivered from the law, 5 ' and the texts quoted in 
the first part of the above proposition are not 
only in perfect harmony with Matt. 5: 17, 18, 19, 
but are the statements whereby it is confirmed. 



til. Christ's Mission was Peace.— And suddenly there wa3 
with the angels a multitude of the heavenly hosts praising God and 
saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace.— Luke 2; 
13, U. 

Christ's Mission was KOT Peace.— Think not that I am come to 
send peace on earth; I came not to send peace, but a sword.— Matt 1 
10: 34. 

At the time of the birth of our Savior, a choir 
of angels chanted the words, " Glory to God in 
the highest, and on earth peace and good will to 
men. 55 But the Savior himself says, "Think not 
that I am come to send peace on earth — I came 
not to send peace, but a sword. 55 Still by refer- 
ring to God 5 s word as a wii% the great umpire of 
our investigations, the harmgny and consistency 
of its teachings are apparent. John 16: 33, ex- 
plains both passages, " These things have I spo- 
ken unto you, that in me ye might have peace ; in 
the world ye have tribulation. 55 No language 
could make our proposition plainer. While the 
legitimate effects of Christ's precepts, when be- 
lieved and obeyed, are peace to the willing and 
obedient, the natural enmity between good and 



102 THE BIBLE TRIUMPHANT^ 

evil can never be subdued, until wrong ceases to 
exist. " Therefore, being justified by faith, we 
have peace with God, through our Lord Jesus 
Christ." Bom. 5: 1 Christ came to bring " the 
peace of God which passeih all tmder standing" 
to all who would believe and obey the " Gospel of 
peace" but he will surely send a sword upon the 
enemies of God and the foes of his people. 

" I create the fruit of the lips. Peace, peace to 
him that is far off, and to him that is near, saith 
the Lord ; and I will heal him. But the wicked 
are like the troubled sea, when it cannot rest, 
whose waters cast up mire and dirt. There is no 
peace, saith my God, to the wicked" Isa. 57: 19, 
20, 21 ; Isa. 48: 22. 

112. Christ Received not testimony from Man.—^Ye sent unto 
John and he bear witness unto the truth. But I receive not testimo- 
ny from man.— John 5: 33, 34. 

Christ J>ID Jteeeive Testimony from Man* — And ye also shall 
bear witness, because ye have been with me from the beginning.— 
John 15: 16. 

The witness spoken of in John 15: 27, was 
that which his disciples bore to others, for they 
had no need to testify to Jesus, neither was it nec- 
essary for him to require (see Wakefield,) testi- 
mony from man, for he had the testimony of God 
himself. He says, " But I have greater witness 
than that of John; for the works which the 
Father hath given me to finish, the same works 
' that I do, bear witness of me that the Father hath 
sent me. And the Father himself which sent 
me hath borne witness of me." See John 5: 
36, 37. 

113. Christ's Witness of Himself is True.— I am one that 

bearwitness of myself. Though I bear record of myself, yet my 

record is true.— John 8: 18, 14. 

Christ's Witness of Himself is NOT True.— If I bear witness 
of myself, my witness ii not true.— John 5: 31. 



THE BIBLE TRIUMPHANT. 103 

Bishop Pearce, Wakefield, and tlie Diaglott, 
translate Jolin 5: 31, interrogatively ; they read, 
" Jf I bear witness of myself, is not my witness 
true?" This version (which is sustained by the 
Greek, rather than the other,) obviates all diffi- 
culty. His own testimony that he was the Mes- 
siah, was psrfeeffy true, and might have been suf- 
ficient for condemning a world of unbelievers ; 
but he also had the testimony of John, which he 
did not need, although he was an unimpeachable 
witness ; tie also had the testimony of his disci- 
ples, and multitudes of others who had witnessed 
his miracles, but all human testimony was super- 
fluous, for he had the witness of Jehovah himself. 
See John 5: 36, 37; 1 John 5: 9; John 3: 2; 
John 10:25; John 15:21; Matt. 3: 17; Matt. 
17: 5. 

114, Christ laid down his JAfe for his Friends.— ^Greater 
lore hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his 
friend?.— John 15; 13. The good shepherd gi veth his life for the sheep.. 
John 10; 11. 

Christ laid down his TAfe for his J£ If 12 MI ~ES. —When we wera 
pnemie^, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son.— Rom. 
5:10. 

During the life time of the Son of God, he 
made the following forcible remark : " Greater 
love hath no man than, this, that & man lay 
down his life for his friends." How true ! 3Si o 
man can carry his love for his friend farther than 
tlm, for whew he gives up his life, he gives up 
all he has. And it is only in the rarest instances 
that such friendship has been known in earth's 
history. But when Jehovah's Son " poured out 
his soul unto death," he laid down his life, not 
only for his friends, but he also died for his ene- 
mies, thereby giving the universe an example of 
love to the world, which was without precedent 
in the annals of mankind. 






104 THE BIBLE TmVMtiiAKT\ 

115. It tacts JLai&ful for the Jews to put Christ to Death, — TIi © 

Jews answered him, We have a law, and by our law he ouyht to 
die.— John 19: 7. 

It was NOT lawful for the Jews to put Ilitn to Death* — The 

Jews therefore said unto him, It is not lawful' for us to put any maa 
t©> death —John 18; 31. 

In Lev. 2i: 14-16, we find that blasphemers of 
God were to he put to death; and the chief 
priests, having charged Jesus with blasphemy,, 
voted that he deserved to die. But it must be 
remembered that the Jews were at this time sub- 
ject to the Romans, and consequently they could 
not be allowed to administer capital punishment to 
criminals* Hence, although they might have 
judged Jesus according to their own law, (as 
Pilate bade them,) they could only excommuni- 
cate or scourge him. 

The power of life and death was in all proba- 
bility taken from the Jews when Archelans, king 
of Judea, was banished to Yienna, and Judea* 
was made a Roman province ; and this happened 
more than fifty years before the destruction of 
Jerusalem. But the Romans suffered Herod- 
mentioned in Acts 12 — to exercise the power of 
life and death during his reign. See Calmet and. 
Pearce. 



116. Cliildren are ."Punished for the Sins of their Parents* 

—I am a jealous God, visiting the iniquities of the fathers upon the 
children— Ex. 20; 5. 

Children are NOT Punished for the Sins of their Parents.-— 

The son shall not bear the iniquities of the father.— Ezrek. 18; 20. 

Ex. 20: 5, is a declaration which accompanies 
the second commandment, in the decalogue given 
to Israel 

Idolatry is the sin which God is denouncing. 
And after they had broken his law by worship- 
ing idols, the Divine protection was withdraw^ 



HIE BIBLE TKIUMFHA^. 105 

&n& tlic Israelites were delivered up into tlie 
hands of their enemies, for the gocls in which 
they had trusted could not deliver them ; and 
they remained in bondage, and their children 
after them, to the third and fourth generations 
successively, as confirmed by every part of Jewish 
history. And this became the grand, effectual 
and lasting means, in the hand of God for their* 
final deliverance from idolatry; for after the 
Babylonish captivity, the Israelites never dis- 
graced themselves with idolatry, as they had 
formerly done. Hence it appears that national 
judgments, which pass from generation to gener* 
ation, are those referred to in the text above.— 
Perhaps it also refers to natural Imm by the vio- 
lation of which one man or woman may impart 
disease to several successive generations, And 
m relation to financial affairs, children often lose 
their patrimony, and suffer with poverty in con- 
sequence of the extravigance and folly of their 
parents. And m political crimes, the blood of 
nobility is tainted by the rebellion of an ancestor, 
and the children can only be restored to their 
rightful position by an act of royal favor. But 
this law only refers to the temporal existence, 
and has no bearing upon the reward or punish- 
ment which is to be bestowed at the resurrection. 
This point is beautifully exemplified in the eight- 
eenth chapter of Ezekiei. Please read as fol- 
lows, commencing at the fourth verse : 

" Behold all souls are mine ; as the soul of the 
father so also the soul of the son is mine ; the 
soul that sinneth it shall die, (i. e. the second death, 
which is the doom pronounced upon the ungod- 
ly.) But if a man be just, and do that which is 
lawful and right. . . . Hath walked in my statutes, 
and hath kept my judgments ; to deal truly, he is 
just, he shall surely live, (shall have the eternal 
life, which is promised to the righteous.) But if 



106 THE SIBL& TRIUMPHANT, 

he beget a son that is a robber, a shedcter of blood? 
&c, he shall surely die, (the second death).— = 
Now lo, if he beget a son that seeketh all the 
father's sins, which he hath done, and consider- 
eth and doeth not meh.i.vhe shall surely live u 
20 vefse, " The son shall not bear the iniquity of 
the father, (in the future state,) neither shall the 
father bear the iniquity of the son, the righteous- 
ness of the righteous, shall be upon him, and th@ 
wickedness of the wicked shall be upon him" 

It is probable the first verse of the chapter is 
designed to correct a wrong impression, in refer- 
ence to the law, which \f&s prevalent among the 
Jews, and not to convey the idea that the law 
itself was repealed. 



117. Man is Justified btf FditJi Atone.— By the deeds of the 
law there shall no flesh be justified.— "Rom. 3: 20. Knowing that a 
man is not justified by the works of the" law, but by the faith of Je- 
sus Christ.— Gal. 2: 16. The just shall live by faith. And the law is 
&ot of faith.— Gal. 3: 11, 12. For if Abraham were justified by works 
he hath whereof to glory.— Rom. 4: 2. 

Man is NOT trustified by JFait7i Alone*— Was not Abraham our 

father justified by works? Ye see then how that by works a 

man is justified, and not by faith only. — Jam. 2: 21, 24. The doers of 
the law shall be justified*— Bom. 2; 13. 

The only texts in the above proposition, which 
seem to require any notice at our hands, are the 
two last quoted, and they are beautifully explain- 
ed by the context. Please read James 2: 20-24. 
But w r ilt thou know, 0, vain man, that faith 
without works is dead ? Was not Abraham, our 
father, justified by w r orks, when he had offered 
Isaacs his son, upon the altar ? Seest thou, hoio 

faith wrought with his idorks, and by works toas 

faith made perfect ? 

And the Scripture w r as fulfilled which saith, 
Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto 
him for righteousness, and he was called the 



THE BIBLE " TRIUMPHANT. 107 

Friend of God. Ye see, then, liow that by 
works, a man is justified and not by faith only. — ■ 
We see, then, that Abraham's justification was 
dependent upon faith and works both. See also 
Romans 2: 12-13. For as many as have sinned 
without law, shall also perish without law, and 
as many as have sinned in the law, shall be 
judged by the law. (For not the hearers of the 
law are just before God, but the doers of the law 
shall be justified, &c.) The last verse is par- 
enthetical, and refers of course to those, and those 
alone, who were under the law. It is thrown in 
to explain the preceding verse, and conveys the 
idea that it was not necessary alone to be hear- 
ers of the law, but they must also have been 
doers of it, in order to be justified, when the 
great dav of reward comes to the inhabitants of 
earth. When the judge of the quick and dead 
shall bestow the honors of eternity, those who 
lived under the law, and were faithful to its 
requirements^ shall receive a just recompense of 
reward. 



118. It is Impossible to Fall from Grace.— And 1 give tintO 
them eternal life, and they shall never perish, neither shall any pluck 
them out of my hand.— John 10: 25. Neither death, nor life, nor 
angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things 
to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able 
to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ our Lord.— 
Horn. 8: 38, 39. 

It IS Possible to Fall front Grace. — But when the righteous 
man turneth away from his righteousness, and committeth iniquity, 
and doeth according to all the abominations that the wicked man 
doeth, shall he live? All his righteousness that he hath done shall 
not be mentioned ; in hi3 trespass that he hath trespassed, and in 
his sin that he hath sinned, in them shall he die.— Ezek. 18: 24. For it 
is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted 
of the heavenly gift, and are made partakers of the Holy Ghost, 
and have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world 
to come, if they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repen- 
tance,— Heb. 6: 4-6. For if, after they have escaped the pollu- 
tions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Savior 



108 THE BIBLE TRIUMPHANT, 

Je3U3 Christ, they are again entangled therein and overcome, the 
latter end is worse than the beginning. For it had been better for 
them not to have known the way of righteousness, than after they 
had known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto 
them.— 2 Pet. 2: 20, 21. 

John 10; 28 explains itself so clearly that it 
hardly needs a comment. He says, " I give 
imto them eternal life, and (then) they shall 
never perish, neither shall any pluck them out 
of my hand." Of course, the promise that they 
shall never perish is contingent upon their recep- 
tion of " the gift of God, which is eternal life 
through Jesus Christ our Lord." — Rom. 6: 23. — • 
They must receive the eternal life promised to 
the righteous before they become imperishable, 
and t/iat they cannot obtain until the coming age 
of glory, when God shall be all in all. See Mark 
10:' 30. 

Eternal life is promised as a reward to those 
who by patient continuance in well doing seek 
for glory honor and immortality.— Rom. 2: 7. — - 
And the promise standeth sure, for " Behold the 
Lord will come with strong hand, and his arm 
shall rule for him ; behold his reward is vnth 
him, and his work before him." 

And so long as we remain faithful to the com- 
mands of Gocl, so long as we abide in him, and 
he in us, " Neither death, nor life, nor angels, 
nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, 
nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor 
any other creature, shall be able to separate us 
from the love of Gocl, which is in Christ our 
Lord." But if "after they have escaped the 
pollutions of the world, through the knowledge 
of the Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, they are 
again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter 
end is worse than the beginning. For it had 
been better for them not to have known the way of 
righteousness, than after they had known it to 



THE BIBLE TIBT^IPHAKT. 109 

turn from the holy cammandment delivered 
unto them." Hence, it is clear that nothing but 
our own unfaithfulness can separate us from the 
love of God. 



119, No Man is Without Sin,—- For there is no man that sin- 
neth not.— 1 Kings 8: 46. Who can say, I have made my heart clean? 
I am pure from my sin ?— Prov» 20; 9. For there is not a just man upon 
the earth, that doeth good and sinneth not.— Eccl. 7: 20. There is 
none righteous, no, not one. — Rom. 3: 10. 

Christians are SINLESS.— Whosoever is born of God doth not 
commit sin ,he cannot tin, because he is born of God Who- 
soever abideth in him sinneth not. He that committeth sin is of the 
devil.— 1 John 3: 9, 6, 8. 

It is certainly true, as indicated by the first 
class of texts here quoted, that perfection doth 
not dwell with the children of men — that man, 
however pure and upright his motives and in- 
tentions may be, is liable to err from the path of 
rectitude, and fail in the performance of duty. — 
But it is equally true, that " Whosoever is born 
of God doth not commit sin. . . .he cannot sin, 
because he is born of God." 

But we cannot be born of God until we are 
changed, wdien this mortal shall put on immor- 
tality, and this corruptible shall put on incorrupta- 
bility, then indeed shall we be born of God. — 
See John 3: 5-8. And having lost the sinful 
nature, which Adam transmitted to his posterity, 
we shall be free from the possibility of sinning. — 
" Whosoever committeth sin is of the devil." — - 
The Diaglott renders this text as follows, " He 
who practices sin is of the enemy." The idea is, 
that he who practices sin— sins willfully and per- 
sistently, is of the devil. " Whosoever abideth in 
him, sinneth not ;" that is, he is not a constitutional 
sinner, he does not sin willfully, or persistently. 
" If we sin or err we have an advocate with the 
Father, even Jesus Christ the righteous." There 



110 THE BIBLE TmtMP&Mf. 

is a great difference between the errors and frail- 
ties, which are inseparable from our fallen nature, 
and that willful and determinate or reckless 
course, which is pursued by many, in direct op- 
position to the known will and law of Jehovah. 

It must be borne iii miiidj in cases like the 
above, that one word frequently has several 
legitimate definitions, which may vary consider- 
ably from each other. Language is composed of 
'words, and words are the mere representation of 
ideas. In proportion to the poverty of a Ian- 
guage, that is, in porportion to the fewness of its 
words, must each word have a variety of mean- 
ings. That this was particularly the case with 
the ancient languages, every one must know 
who stops to consider that each word, (even in 
the English tongue, wdiich is so rich}) has a vari- 
ety of significations. For instance, the word 
H flesh " signifies a part of the physical organisa- 
tion, or human nature, or carnality 5 or corrupt 
nature, or the present life, or legal righteousness, 
or tenderness, human feeling, kindred, stock, 
family, or the soft pulpy substance of fruit, &c. — - 
And the word "give" signifies to bestow, to im- 
part, to communicate, to pay, to yield, to lend, to 
quit, to grant, to expose, to yield to the power of, 
to empower, to produce, &c. See Webster. — 
And the word " sin " also has a variety of mean* 
in^s, especially in the original. But wdien an 
infidel meets with any of these, or other words of 
the same class in the Bible, although they may 
have a dozen other significations, he invariably 
annexes to them that meaning, and that only, 
(provided they have one that can be thus con- 
strued,) which will tend to impeach the holiness, 
the justice or veracity of Jehovah. To such 
lengths of injustice and dishonesty are they 
driven, to support their awful rebellion against 
the authority of the Most High. 



THE HIBLE TRIUMPHANT. ill 

i-20. There is to be a Resurrection ofiHtT&ead.— The truri?pct 
shall sound and the dead shall be raised.— 1 Cor. 15: 52. And I saw 

the dead, small and great, stand before God and they were 

judged, every man according to their works. — Rev. 20: 12, 13. Now 
that the dead are raised even Moses showed at the bush, when he 
called the Lord the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the 
God of Jacob.—Luke 20: 37. For if the dead rise not, then is not 
Christ raised.— 1 Cor. 15, 16. 

There is to be NO Resurrection of the tfeadt — As the cloud is 
consumed and vanisheth away, so he that goeth down to the grave 
fhsill come Up nd witf/^'.— Job' 7i 9. The dead know not anything"* 
tieither' have they any more a reward.— Bccl. 29: 14. They are dead, 
they shall not live; they are deceased, they shall not rise. — Is. 25: 14. 

The word of Grod is uniform in its teaching, 
that " The trumpet shall sound and the dead shall 
"be raised. 55 "For if the dead rise not, then is 
Christ not raised." In reference to Job 7: it will 
be seen by carefully reading the connection, that 
the whole chapter is one of Job's laments during 
his sore affliction, and pertains only to the present 
life, the future state is not alluded to at all. It is 
merely the mournful boundaries of the natural 
life, as they appeared to Job in his deep trial. — • 
The 9th verse reads, "As the cloud is consumed 
and vanisheth away, so he that goeth down to the 
grave shall come up no more ;" and if the resur- 
rection were the subject under discussion, and if 
this text were placed in the inspired volume with- 
out explanation, then indeed should we be left 
upon the ocean of time with no hope, and the 
cold starless night of oblivion would settle down 
upon the graves of those we love. But the next 
verse clearly explains the meaning of the author. 
It reads, " He shall return no more to his house, 
neither shall his place know him any more." And 
hence we have found the solution of the whole 
matter ; the dead cannot return and mingle with 
the living, upon the shores of time, for they sleep 
in the dust Truly, the author of the book of 
Job was far from being a Spiritualist ! 



112 THE BIBLE TRIUMPHANT* 

Eccl. 9: 5, simply teaclies that death is a sleep, 
that the inhabitants of the grave "know not any- 
thing^ until they are awakened out of their slum- 
ber and aroused to consciousness, by the trump of 
the Archangel. Please see Job 14; 21. Job 10: 
13. Isa. 63: 16. Ps. 6: 5. Ps. 88: 10-12. Ps. 15: 
11. Acts 2: 29, 31. Isa. 38: 18, 19. Dan. 12: 2. 
Acts 7: 60. Lnke 20: 35. Acts 21: 21. Acts 26: 
6-8. 1 Cor. 15: 17-19. Ps. 146: 4. John 5: 28- 
29. 1 Thess. 4: 13, 17. In relation to the clause, 
u neither have they any more a reward," it is only 
necessary to direct attention to the tense of the 
verb. The text does not say that they shall never 
have a reward, but simply that they do not have 
it while in the cold embrace of death ; hence the 
declaration is in perfect harmony with every text 
in the inspired volume bearing upon this theme. 
For there is no reward promised the children of 
God, until the Apocalypse of his Son from Heav- 
en. See Matt. 16: 27, and Rev. 22: 12. 

The class spoken of in Isaiah 26: 14, is the 
class of tyrants of whom it is expressly said that 
God had visited and destroyed them, and having 
received from the hand of Jehovah, the punish- 
ment which their crimes merited, it is by no means 
essential to the harmony of the Scriptures, that 
they should be raised in the general resurrection. 
If God has destroyed them by a special judg- 
7aent, he can certainly decree that they shall not 
come again from the dead, without conflicting 
with his plan concerning humanity as a race. 



121. Reward and Punishment to be Bestowed in this World* 

—Behold the righteous shall be recompensed in the earth, much 
more the wicked and the sinner.— Prov. 11: 31. 
Jteward and Punishment to be Bestowed in the XJEXT World. 

—And the dead were judged out of those things which were written 
in the books, according to their works, — Rev. 20: 12. Then he shall 
reward every man according to his works.— Matt. 16: 27. Accord- 
ing to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.— 2 Cor. 5: 10. 



THE BIBLE TRIUMPHANT. 113 

How true the statement, that u The righteous 
shall be recompensed in the earth, much more the 
wicked and the sinner. 55 And the skeptic has not, 
nor can not quote a single text, which does not 
perfectly harmonize with the above. The other 
three texts cited in his proposition, bear upon the 
time of the judgment and reward, but they say 
nothing about the locality. The wiijvrm teach- 
ing of God 5 s word, upon this point is, that the re- 
ward of the righteous and the punishment of the 
wicked, are alike to be bestowed upon this planet. 
See Matt. 5: 5. Eev. 5: 10. Dan. 7: 27. Ps. 37: 
9,10,11,22,29. Isa. 60:21. Pro v. 2: 22. Dan. 
2:4i Luke 1:33. 



122. Annihilation the Portion of all Man7cind*—*Why diee! 
not I from the womb? Why did I not give up the ghost when I 

came out of the belly ? For now should I have lain still and 

been quiet ; I should have slept : then had I been at rest, with 
kings and counsellors of the earth, which built desolate places for 
themselves; or with princes that had gold, who filled their houses 
with silver ; or as a hidden, untimely birth I had not been ; as in- 
fants which never saw the light. There the wicked cease from 

troubling, and there the weary be at rest /The small and great 

are there, and the servant is free from his master. Wherefore is light 
given to him that is in misery, and life unto the bitter in soul, which 

long for death and it cometh not .which rejoice exceedingly 

when they havo found the grave ?— Job 3: 11, 13-17, 19-22. The chad 
kthoi& not anything »For there is no work, nor device, nor knowl- 
edge, nor wisdom in the grave whither thou goest. — Eccl. 9: 5, 10.— 
For that which befalleth the sons of men befalleth the beasts, even 
one thing befalleth them: as the one dieth, so dieth the other ,* yea, 
they have all one breath ; so that a man hath no preeminence above 
a beast .All go unto one place. Eccl. 3: 19, 20. 

JEJNTHjESS MJSIlLRY the Portion of<* PAKT of ManKintf. 

— These shall go away into everlasting punishment, — Matt. 2o: 46.— 
And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and 
brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be 

tormented day and night for ever and ever And whosoever was 

not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire- 
Rev. 20: 10, 15. And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up forev- 
er and ever.— lie v. 14: 11. And many of them that sleep in the dust 
shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to. shame and ever- 
lasting contempt*—- Ban. 12: 2* 



114c THE BIBLE TRIUMPHANT. 

The first class of texts here quoted, refer to the 
state of the dead, between death and the resurrec- 
tion ; and the second, although they refer to the 
destiny of the wicked, must be grossly perverted, 
in order to sustain the infidel's proposition that 
" endless misery is the portion of a part of man- 
kind." True, " These shall go away into ever- 
lasting punishment," but it does not say everlast- 
ing torture, and the punishment here alluded to is 
defined in 2 Thess. 1: 9, to be everlasting des- 
truction. 

The next text under consideration, is Rev. 20: 
10, 15, and says nothing about anybody, except 
the devil, the least and the false prophet, and 
hence has no bearing upon the destiny of man- 
kind. It may be well however to remark, that the 
Greek phrase til the above text, which is rendered 
"for ever and ever," is u eis aioonas toon aiooiioon" 
and signifies literally, "until the age of ages," 
hence it will be seen that even the punishment 
here alluded to, is limited in its duration. 

And in relation to Eev. 14: 11, it will be seen 
by the connection that it only refers to that special 
class of sinners who have been guilty of " wor- 
shiping the beast and Kis image" and the original 
reads here precisely as in the preceding text, and 
it should be rendered thus: And the smoke of 
their torment ascendeth up until the age of ages, 
hence the suffering is here also limited. 

So far as Dan. 12: 2, is concerned, we cannot 
see as it bears upon the skeptics proposition at all, 
for no one will for a moment contend that it is nec- 
essary for any one to live forever, in order to be 
the subject of " everlasting contempt." The rec- 
ords of History present many ignominious charac- 
ters for the everlasting contempt of posterity, who 
have slumbered in the dust for ages. A God of 
mercy has never threatened frail humanity with 
an eternity of torture ; his Word is a unit on this 



THE BIBLE TRIUMPHANT. 115 

tlieme, as well as all others, and it declares that 
the wicked shall not live forever. See John 3: 
36. 1 John 3: 15. 1 John 5: 11, 12. John 6: 53. 
Deut 30: 19, 20. 

The declaration of Jehovah is, that they shall 
die. See Ezek. 18: 4, 20, 21, 26, 31, 32.— 
Rom. 5: 21, 23. Rom. 7: 5. James 1: 15. — 
Rom. 6: 16. Rom. 8: 13. Rev. 21: 8. James 
5: 19, 20. 

The Bible sav s the wicked shall perish. Please 
read Job 20: < 7. Ps. 92: 9. Rom. 2: 12. Ps. 
19: 20. Ps. 73: 27. Pro v. 19: 9. Ps. 37: 20.— 
John 3: 11, 17. Luke 13: 2, 5. Ps. 2: 10, 12. 2 
Pet. 2: 12. 

God's word declares they shall be cut off. Ps. 
55: 1, 5. Ps. 37: 9, 22, 28, 31, 38. Ps. 94: 23.— 
Nah. 1: 15. Prov. 2: 21, 22, 

The declaration of Jehovah is, that they shall 
be destroyed. Job 21: 23, 29, 30. Ps. 145: 20. Rom. 
9: 22. Ps. 55: 23. Ps. 5: 6. Prov. 16: 18. Prov. 
13: 13. Isa 1: 28. Prov; 13: 20. Phil. 3: 18, 19. 
Pom. 3: 15, 17. 2 Pet. 3: 16. Prov. 29: 1. Matt. 
7: 13. Matt. 10: 28. Acts 3: 21. 2 Pet. 2: 12. 
Ps. 112:7. Ps. 37:38. Ps. 73: 3, 17, 18. 2Thess. 
1: 9, 10. Pev. 11: 18. 1 Thess. 5: 3. 

The Bible says the wicked shall he consumed. Zepb. 
1: 1, 2. Ps. 37: 20. Isa. 1: 28. Ps. 59: 13. Ps. 
104; 35. 

God's word distinctly states that they shall be burn- 
ed up root and branch. Please read Matt. 13: 30. — 
Matt. 3: 12. John 15: 6. Ps. 117: 3. Isa. 1: 81. 
Isa. 33: 14. Hob. 6: 7, 8. Mai. 4: 13. 

And they shall be as though they had not been. — 
See Ps. 58: 7, 11. Isa. 29: 20. Isa. 40: 12. Ps. 
37: 10. Obed. 15, 16. 



123. TJie JEarth is to be Destroyed.— The earth also and the 
works that are therein shall be burned up.— 2 Pet. 3: 10. They shall 
perish, bat thou remainest.— Heb. 1: 11, And I saw a great white 
throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and th* 



116 THE BIBLE TRIUMPHANT. 

heaven jled away, and there was no place found for them.— Rev. 
20; 11. 

The JEartJi is NBVDM to be Destroyed.— Who laid the founda- 
tions of the earth that it should not be removed forever.— Ps. 104: 5 
But the earth abideih forever.— -Pro v. 1: 4. 

That the earth is to endure forever, and unfold 
in its future history the glory of God, no one who 
has studied the word of inspiration upon this sub- 
ject will deny/ The infidel however, finds what 
appears to him a contradiction, of this plain doc- 
trine of revelation, in 2 Pet. 3: 10. Heb. 1: 11. 
Rev. 20: 11. But we shall endeavor to show that 
the apparent discrepancy, is caused by the mist in 
the brains of the compiler. 

In reference to 2 Peter 3: 10, it does not re- 
quire a very critical examination of the passage 
to ascertain its meaning. Please read the whole 
verse. " But the day of the Lord will come as a 
thief in the night ; in which the heavens shall 
pass away with a great noise, and the elements 
shall melt with fervent head, and the earth also • 
and the works that are therein shall be burned 
up. 55 This is the obvious meaning of the text, 
and the skeptic will please remember thsifcpunctica* 
tion is not inspiration, and therefore the Bible is 
by no means responsible for the manner in which 
man has punctuated it. 

The term " heavens and earth,*' is frequently 
used in the Scriptures to denote dispensations, and 
there are three alluded to in the Bible. The 
heavens and earth that existed before the flood, 
the heavens and earth that exist at present, and 
the new heavens and new earth which the Apos- 
tle looked for. Peter says, in speaking of the 
flood, "By the word of God the heavens were of 
old, and the earth standing out of the water and 
in the water, whereby the world that then was 
jyeinshed. But no one will contend that the phys- 
ical earth perished; the same hills and valleys 



THE BIBLE TRIUMPHANT. 117 

now smile with verdure that were then swept by 
the restless waves of the flood. It was the out- 
ward order and constitution of things which ex- 
isted in antediluvian times, that were obliterated. 
And the fact that "we look for a new heavens 
and new earth wherein dwelleth righteousness," by 
no means indicates the destruction of the physical 
earth, but merely that the order of things shall be 
changed — -the heavens and the earth shall be re- 
newed by the mandate of Jehovah. The earth 
shall not pass away, it shall live on — -survive its 
baptism of fire, and exist through its regeneration, 
and when the curse is removed, it shall smile in 
more than Eden gladness, while the endless ages 
of eternity circle around the throne of Jehovah, 
Ps. 119: 90. Eccl. 1: 4. Ps. 104: 5. 

Time and space forbid a critical examination of 
this interesting theme, but we will remark, that in 
those passages which speak of the u end of the 
world, 59 the word rendered world, is either aioan, 
which signifies a space of time, an age, an era, or 
a dispensation ; or it is kosiiios, which denotes the 
exterior order, arrangements, and political consti- 
tution of the earth, and these shall surely termin- 
ate when Christ comes, and give place to the new 
dispensation of peace and glory which is to dawn 
upon earth at his advent. 



124. Ko Evil sJiall Happen to the Godly.—There shall no evil 
happen to the just.— Prov, 12j 21. Who is he that will harm you 
if ye be followers of that which is good.— 1 Pet. 3: 13. 

Evil DOES Happen to the Godly,— Whom the Lord loveth he 
ehasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.— Heb. 12: 6. 
And the Lord said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant 

Job, that there is none like him, a perfect and upright man ? , 

So went Satan forth and smote Job with sore boils from the sole 

of his foot unto the crown of his head,— Job 2: 3. 7. 

We fail to see any want of harmony here.— 
God has promised that no evil should come upon 



118 THE BIBLE TRIUMPHANT. 

the just, which is true ; but He has seen it to "be 
for his own glory, and the good of man, to 
chastise his children — not indeed to inflict evil, 
but as an actual benefit. Heb. 12: 11, "Now 
no chastening for the present seemeth to be 
joyous, but grevious : nevertheless, afterward it 
yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto 
them which are exercised thereby." An earthly 
parent does not punish his child for the purpose 
of injuring it, but that it may be thereby benefit- 
ed. How then should we look upon the chas- 
tisement of him who pitieth those who fear him, 
even as a tender father his children ? Hence 
the difficulty at once vanishes, and we only won- 
der that it should have been named as an objec- 
tion. 



12o. Worldly Good and Prosperity the lot of the Godly. — 

There shall no evil happen to the just.— Prov. 12: 21. For the Lord 
loveth judgment and forsaketh not his saints; they are preserved 

forever The wicked watcheth for the righteous and seeketh to 

slay him. The Lord will not leave him in hi3 hand, nor condemn 

him when he is judged Mark the perfect man, and behold the 

upright ; for the end of that man is peace.— Ps. 37: 28, 32, 33, 37.— 
Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly. 
Whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.— Ps. 1: 1, 3. And the Lord was 
with Joseph, and he was a prosperous man.— Gen. 39: 2. So the Lord 
blessed the latter end of Job more than the beginning,— Job 42: 12. 

Worldly MISERY and DESTITUTION the lot of the Godly, 

—They were stoned, they were sawn asunder, they were tempted, 
were slain with the sword; they wandered about in sheep-skins and 
goat-skins : being destitute, afflicted, tormented they wand- 
ered in deserts, and in mountains, and in den3 and caves of the 
earth.— Heb. 11: 37, 38. These are they which came out of great 
tribulation.— -Rev. 7: 14. Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ 
Jesus shall suffer persecution.— 2 Tim. 3: 12. And ye shall be hated 
of all men for my name's sake.— Luke 21: 17. 

This proposition is so similar to the preceeding 
one that it hardly needs a reply at our hands. — 
We may however, remark that the persecutions 
which tall to the lot of man, on account of his 



THE BIBLE TRIUMPHANT. 119 

faithfulness to God are by no means to be consid- 
ered as evils ; on the contrary, the admonition is 
to " rejoice and be exceeding glad, for great is 
your reward in heaven." The statement of 
Jesus is, that M in the world ye have tribulation, 
but in me ye have peace ;" and although the 
children of God may be stoned or sawn asunder, 
although they may be destitute, afflicted and tor- 
mented, yet they have the assurance that " all 
things work together for good, to them that fear 
God." 

It is certainly true, that " whatever the right- 
eous man doeth shall prosper," but this is by no 
means a promise, that the prosperity shall be 
immediate, — he is casting bread upon the wa- 
ters all through his life-pilgrimage ; and although 
he has the assurance that it shall be gathered 
after many days, he has no promise of seeing all 
the fruits of his labors this side of the kingdom of 
God. 



126. Wordly Prosperity a Reward of IZh/ltteousness and a 
Blessing.-^ There is no man that hath left house, or brethren, or 
gisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my 
sake and the gospel's, hut he shall receive a hundred fold now in 
this time,houses, and brethren, and sisters,and mothers, and children, 
and lands.-— Mark 10: 29, 30. I have been young, and now am old \ 
yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging 
bread. — Ps. 37 25. Blessed is the man that feareth the Lord. Wealth 
and riches shall be his house.— Ps. 112; 1, 3. If thou return unto the 

Almighty, thou shalt be built up . f? .Then shalt thou lay up gold 

as dust.— Job. 22j 23, 24. In the house of the righteous is much 
treasure.— Job 19: 7. 

Worldly Prosperity a CITJiSTJ and a BATt TO FUTLRZ! 
JREWLRD.— Blessed be ye poor.— Luke 6: 20. Lay not up for your- 
selves treasures upon earth i? For where your treasure is there 

will your heart be also, Matt. 6: 19, 21. And it came to pass that 
the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham's bo- 
som.— Luke 16. 22. It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a 
needle, than for a Wc7iman to enter into the kingdom of Ood.— Matt. 
19: 21. Wo unto you that are rich I for ye have received your cqi^ 
solation.— Luke 6: 24. 



120 THE BIBLE TRIUMPHANT* 

In relation to Mark 10: 29, 30, it must be 
borne in mind that it was a declaration made to 
the apostles, and alluded to their itinerant mode 
of life. They sacrificed their private ease, and 
comfort, and spent their time in traveling from 
house to house, to teach the Word of life to their 
fellow men, and those among whom they labored, 
being filled with the love of God, became their 
relatives in the household of faith, and more than 
this, they appreciated their labor, and divided 
their substance with them, so that their neces- 
sary wants were supplied as well as if it had been 
all their own. Hence they were commanded to 
" Provide neither gold, silver, nor brass in your 
purses, nor scrip for your journey, neither two 
coats, neither shoes, nor yet staves." — Matt. 
10: 9, 10. It must be remembered however, that 
it was with them as with all true children of God, 
whatever they received in this age, they received 
" with persecutions." Ps. 37: 25 is an expression 
indicative of God's love and care for his children. 
Truly, wealth and riches are in the house of the 
man who feareth the Lord ; but this does not nec- 
essarily imply that he shall be possessed of the 
gold and silver of earth, if he has the " pearl of 
great price" he is possessed of untold wealth, 
without the riches of the world, for " In the house 
of the righteous is much treasure." Job 22: 23, 
24 is a statement made by Eliphaz to Job, and 
was it not literally true ? Job was rich in earthly 
goods before his temptation, and we read that 
" The Lord blessed the latter end of Job more 
than the beginning." — Job 42: 12. 

The only text in the latter part of the proposi- 
tion which seems to require any explanation at 
our hands is Matt. 19: 24. And of this it is only 
necessary to state, that the expression " It is 
easier for a camel to go through the eye of a 
needle " was a common saying among the Jews to 



THE BIBLE TRIUMPHANT. 121 

denote anything extremely rare and difficult. — 
(See Lightfoot & Bagster.) And it must be evi- 
ident to every observer, that it is much harder for 
a rich man to gain the inheritance of the saints, 
than for the poor, from the fact that it seems al- 
most impossible to possess the riches of earth, and 
not set the affections upon them. There are so 
many temptations in their path, that the rich are 
apt to either become miserly, or give themselves 
up to the gratifications of the lust of the eye, and 
the pride of life ; and it is this class to whom it is 
said, " Wo unto you that are rich." But this, 
by no means, applies to those (of whom earth can 
still boast a lew) who, considering themselves 
the stewards of God, use their means to his hon- 
or and glory. 



127* The Christian Yoke is East/.-^Como unto me, all ye that 
labor and are heavy laden and I will give you rest, Take my yoke 

upon you For my yoke is easy and my burden U light.— Matt. 

11: 28-30. 

The Christian YoJce is XOT Easy.— In the world ye shall have 
ribulation — John 16: 33. Yea, and all that will live Godly in Christ 
Jesus shall suffer persecution. — 2 Tim. 3: 12. Whom the Lord loveth 

he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth ,.For 

if ye be without chastisement then ye are bastards and not sons.— 
lleb. 13; 6, 8. 

These texts are beautifully explained by a 
single passage, " In me ye might have peace, — 
in the world ye shall have tribulation." Truly, 
the yoke of Christ is easy, and his burden is 
light, but we have the promise of persecution and 
tribulation in the world. 



128. The Fruit of God's Spirit is JLove and Gentleness.— 

The fruit of the spirit is love, peace, joy, gentleness, and goodness.— 
Gal. 5: 22. 
The Fruit of God's Spirit is VENGEANCE and FUIiY.— 

And the spirit of the Lord came upon him and he slew a thousand 
nien.—Jud. 15; M. And it came to pass on the morrow that the evil 

6 



122 THE BIBLE TRIUMPHANT. 

spirit from God came upon Saul and there was a javelin in Saul's 

hand. And Saul cast the javelin ; for he said,; I will smite David 
even to the wall with it.— 1 Sam. 10: 11. 

This proposition may also be clearly explained 
by a few words. It is certainly true, that the le- 
gitimate fruits of God's " spirit is love, peace, 
joy, gentleness, and goodness," but it must also 
be borne in mind that Jehovah is possessed of 
the spirit of justice, and it is jmtice alone which 
his enemies have to fear. It is the spirit of jus- 
tice alone which dictates His decrees of destruc- 
tion or desolation, to those who openly defy his 
power and blaspheme his name. 

129. Longevity ENJOYED by the Wicked.— Wherefore do 
the wicked live, become old, yea, are mighty in power? Their seed 
is established in their sight with them, and their offspring before 
their eyes.— Job 21: 7, 8. They [men of the world] are full of chil- 
dren and leave the rest of their substance to their babes. — Ps. 17: 14. 
Though a sinner do evil a hundred times and his days be pro- 
longed, yet surely I know that it shall be well with them that fear 
God.— Eccl. 8: 12. But the sinner being a hundred years old shall be 
accursed.— Is. 65: 20. 

Longevity DENIED to the WicJced.— But it shall not be well 
with the wicked, neither shall he prolong his days. — Eccl. 8: 13. 
Bloody and deceitful men shall not live out half their days. — Ps. 55: 
23. The years of the wicked shall be shortened.— Prov. 10: 27. They 
[the hypocrites] die in youth. — Job 38: 14. Be not over much wicked 
neither be foolish; why shouldst thou die before thy time ?— Eccl. 
7: 17. 

Although the wicked may, in this age, live 
qven longer than the righteous it may truly be 
said of them, that they shall not prolong their 
days, that they shall not live out half their days, 
that their years shall be shortened, that they die 
in youth, and die before their time, inasmuch as 
they cannot receive the eternal life which is 
promised to the righteous. And surely the lon- 
gevity of man, in this age, is but a span when 
compared with the endless ages of eternity. See 
Prop. 122, 



THE BIBLS TKIUMPHANT. 12 

130. POVERTY a Blessing,— Blessed be ye poor Woe 

unto you that are rich!— Luke 6: 20, 24. Hath not God chosen 
the poor of this world, rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom.— 
Jam. 2: 5. 

RICHES a Blesing.— The rich man's wealth is his strong tower, 
but the destruction of the poor is their poverty.— Prov« 10; 15. If 

thou return unto the Almighty then thou shalt he built up 

Thou shalt then lay up gold as dust.—Job 22: 23, 24. And the Lord 
blessed the latter end of Job more than the beginning, for he had 
14,000 sheep, and 6,000 camels and a thousand yoke of oxen, and 
a thousand she asses.-— Job 42: 12. 

yj$ITHER Poverty NOR Riches a Blessing.— Give me nei- 
ther poverty nor riches ; feed me with food convenient for me; lest 
I deny thee and say, Who is the Lord ? or lest I be poor and steal 
and take the name of God in vain.— Pro v. 30: 8, 9. 

We think this subject has been clearly ex- 
plained, at some length, under the 126th proposi- 
tion; we will, however, briefly notice. Prov, 
10: 15, which, by the way,the infidel has not quoted 
correctly, the Bible reads as follows, " The rich 
man's wealth is his strong city," which teaches 
that those who are rich, generally put their trust 
in their riches, instead of trusting in the Lord of 
the whole earth. This is illustrated by Psalms 
52: 7, " Lo, this is the man that hath not made 
God his strength, but trusted in the abundance of 
his riches, and strengthed himself in his wicked- 
ness. 5 ' 

See also Prov. 18: 11, " The rich man's wealth 
is his strong city. . . .in his oicn conceit" surely 
nothing can make the subject plainer than this 
single text. We read also in Job 31; 24, 28, " If 
I have made gold my hope, or have said to the 
fine gold, Thou art my confidence .... This also 
were an iniquity to be punished by the judge."— 
We learn, therefore, that while wealth is an actual 
blessing to those who use their money to the 
honor, and glory of God— it is a terrible curse to 
those who hoard their means with miserly eare> 
or consume it upon the vanities of earth, 



124 THE BIBLE TRIUMPHANT. 

131, Wisdom a Source of ENJOYMENT.— Happy \s the man 

that findeth wisdom Wisdom's ways are ways of pleasantness 

and all her paths are peace.— Prov. 3: 13, 17. 

Wisdom a Source of VEXATION, GRIEF and SORROW.— 

And I gave my heart to know wisdom I perceived that this 

also was vexation of spirit. For in much wisdom is much grief, and 
he that increaseth knowledge, increaseth sorrow.— Eccl. 7: 16. 

It is evident that there are two different kinds 
of wisdom here referred to, and the matter is so 
clearly explained by the inspired James, that w r e 
cannot do better than to refer this proposition en^ 
tirely to him. Please read. " Who is a wise 
man, and endued with knowledge among you ? 
Let him show out of a good conversation, his 
works with meekness of wisdom. But if ye have 
bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not 
and lie not against the truth. This w T isclom de- 
scendeth not from above, but is earthly, sensual, 
devilish .... But the wisdom that is from above is 
first pure, then peaceable, gentle, easy to be en- 
treated, full of mercy and good fruits, without 
partiality, and without hypocrisy." James 3: 13, 
17. Surely, no explanation of our's can make 
the matter plainer. 



132. A Good Name a JiZESSING.—A good name is better 
than precious ointment.— Eccl. 7: 1. A good name is rather to be 
ehosen than great riches.— Prov. 22: 1. 

A Good Name is a CURSE.— Wo unto you when all men shall 
speak well of you.— Luke 6: 26. 

Surely, " a good name is better than precious 
ointment," and " rather to be chosen than great 
riches," but we must consider w r hat kind of a name 
would be called good by the great " Father of 
light." To have the good name here spoken of, a 
man must maintain a character of strict honor and 
integrity ; he must be known to the world as the 
unflinching advocate of the right, as the vindica- 



THE BIBLE TRIUMPHANT. 125 

tor of the oppressed, and the benefactor of the 
needy ; then indeed he will have a good name. — 
Still he will be despised by the worldly-wise, and 
hated by the enemies of God, and his truth. " If 
ye were of the world, the world would love its 
own ; but because ye are not of the world, but 
because I have chosen you out of the world, there- 
fore the world hateth you." John 15: 19. 

And well may there be a ivoe pronounced 
against those, concerning whom all men will 
speak well; for popularity among the masses can 
only be obtained by those who sacrifice principle 
fovfame, who will sell Iwnov for applause, and 
wear the false face of flattery — those who forfeit 
truth for renown, and pamper the faults and fol- 
lies of mankind. And upon such unprincipled, 
fawning sycophants of the world 1 s favor, the woes 
and judgments of God are pronounced. 



133. Laughter COMMENDED.— To everything there is a sea- 
son, a time to weep and a time to laugh. — Eccl. 3: 1, 4. Then I com- 
mended mirth, because a man hath no better thing under the sun 
than to eat and to drink, and to be merry.— Eccl. 8: 15. 

Laughter COXJDJEMNJED.—Wo unto you that laugh now.— 
Luke 6: 25. Sorrow is better than laughter; for by the sadness of 
countenance the heart is made better. The heart of the wise is in 
the house of mourning; but the heart of the fool is in the house of 
mirth— Eccl. 7: 3, 4, 

In the first two texts here quoted, innocent mirth 
is commended. They are a recommendation of a 
moderate use of worldly things, with a cheerful 
and contented mind, but Luke 6: 25, alludes to the 
foolish mirth of rioting and dissipation. See Prov. 
5: 4. Prov. 1-i: 13. Eccl. 2: 2. " For as the 
crackling of thorns under a pot so is the laughter 
of a fooh" Eccl. 7: 6. The ease of distinction be- 
tween the two, is only equaled by the absurdity of 
the objection. 



126 THE BIBLE TRIUMPHANT. 

134* The Mod of CORMECTION a Remedy for Foolishness^ 

—Foolishness is bound in the heart of a child, but the, rod of correc- 
tion will drive it far from him.— Pro v. 22: 15, 

There is NO Remedy for FoolisTiness. — Though thou shouldst 

foray a fool in a mortar, «..yet will not his foolishness depart from 

him.— Prov. 27: 22. 

It requires but little discrimination to see the 
harmony of the two texts above quoted. The 
first is certainly true, and that the last is equally 
so, we Ttnow from experience. The rod of correc- 
tion will drive foolishness from the heart of a 
child, but you may bray a fool in a mortar, and 
yet his foolishness will not depart from him. Can- 
not the skeptic distinguish the difference between a 
child and a fool f Although the above proposi- 
tion exhibts evident symptoms of madness,, it cer- 
tainly cannot be said of its author that " much 
learning hath made him mad" 



133. A Fool SJtould be Answered According to his Folly.*** 

Answer a iool according to his folly.-—- Prov, 20: 4. 

A Fool Should^ NOT be Answered Acoor+Ung to his Folly '*— 

Answer not a fool according to his folly.— Prov. 26; 5. 

The following from Bishop "Warburton on this 
point, is so satisfactory that we will quote it en- 
tire. " Had this advice been given simply, and 
without circumstances to answer the fool, and 
not to answer him, one would suppose that the 
different directions referred to the doing a thing 
in and out cf season, but the matter is clearly ex- 
plained, 1. The reason given why a fool should 
not be answered according to his folly, is, lest he 
(the answerer) should be like unto him. 2. The 
reason given why the fool should be answered 
according to his folly, is, lest he (the fool) should 
be wise in his own conceit. 1. The cause for 
forbidding to answer, therefore plainly insinuates 
that the defender of religion should not imitate 



THE BIBLE TRIUMPHANT. 127 

the insulter of it, in his modes of disputation, 
which may be comprised in sophistry, buffoonery 
and scurrility. 2. The cause assigned for direct- 
ing to answer, &c, as plainly intimates that the 
sage should address himself, to confute the fool 
upon his own false principles, by showing that 
they lead to conclusions very wide from, and very 
opposite to, those impieties he would deduce 
froiu them. If anything can allay a fooPs vanity, 
and prevent his being wise in his own conceit, it 
must be the dishonor of having his own princi- 
ples turned a^aii 
structive to his 
Grace — Preface. 



own pr: 

pies turned against himself, and shown to be de^ 
struct! ve to his own conclusions." Treatise on 



136. Temptation to be I)e$ircd.~^lly brethren, count it all Joy 
when ye fall into temptation. — Jas. 1: 2. 

Temptation HOT to be JJesircd.-^heSid us not into temptation.— 
J&att. 6: 13. 

Matt. 6: 13, literally translated from the Greek, 
reads as follows: " Abandon us not to tempta- 
tion, but preserve us from evil, 55 and the evident 
idea, of the petition is, that God will not forsake 
his children while struggling with temptation, 
but strengthen and aid them by his grace, that 
they may be able to endure, instead of yielding to 
it. See'l Cor. 10: 13. " There hath no tempta^ 
tion taken you but such as is common to man ; 
bvit God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be 
tempted above that ye are able ; but will with 
the temptation also make a way to escape, that 
ye may be able to bear it." Hence, James 1: 2, 
is exactly m point. " My brethren count it all 
joy when ye fall into divers temptations, knowing 
this, that the trying of your faith worketh pa- 
tience;" for " Blessed is the man that endureth 
temptation ; for when he is tried, he shall receive 
the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised 



128 THE BIBLE TEIUMPHAKT. 

to them that love him." See ver. 12. We can 
conceive of nothing more beautifully harmonious, 
than these texts are, when allowed their proper 
weight and meaning. 



137* Tropliecy is Sure*— We have also a more »ure word of 
prophecy, whereunto we do well that we take heed, as unto a light 

that shineth in a dark place.— 2 Pet. 1: 19. 

X>rop7iecy is NOT Sure.— At what instant I shall speak concern- 
ing a nation, and concerning a kingdom, to pluck up, and to puli 
down, and to destroy it ; if that nation against whom I have pro- 
nounced turn from their evil, I will repent of the evil that I thought 
to do unto them. And at what instant I shall speak concerning a 
a nation and concerning a kingdom, to build and to plant it; if it 
do evil in my sight, that it obey not my voice, then I will repent of 
the good wherewith I said I would benefit them.—Jer. 18: 7-10. 

Nothing can be surer than the prophecies of 
Jehovah — events which He has foretold through 
his prophets are just as certain, as those which 
have already taken place, and in this consists one 
of the strongest bulwarks of the christian religion. 
Infidels have madly attacked the prophecies of 
the Bible, but the massive walls of truth, are so 
impregnable that their blows have scarcely pro- 
duced an echo. 

The idea that Jer. 18: 7, 10, conflicts with the 
foregoing position, on the certainty of the fulfill- 
ment of prophecy, cannot for a moment be sus- 
tained; While Peter is speaking of prophecy, 
alone, Jeremiah refers to nothing but promises 
and tkreatenings, which are not prophecies ; Di- 
vine government is based upon the principles of 
eternal justice. He may have threatened to 
pluck up, and destroy a nation for its sins, but 
his promise is, that if that nation turn from their 
evil, the hand of Infinite Mercy, will arrest the 
threatened judgment ; but if on the contrary, he 
has prepared to build up a nation, and it does evil 
in his sight, and proves unworthy of this care, the 



the bjble" ' TrwinrrnAJrr* 129 

voice of justice decrees that they sliail not receive 
the benefits which they have forfeited. Hence 
the judgments and promises to the nations of the 
earth are conditional, but the sure word of pro- 
phecy is unalterable* 



138. Man's Zife was to be OXJE HVXBJREn and TTT27JV- 
TY Years,— His days shall be one hundred and twenty years.^Gen, 
6:3. 

Man's Zife is but SEVEXTY Years*— The days of our year?? 
are three score years and ten.— Ps. 90: 10. 

It is claimed that there is a discrepancy exist- 
ing between Gen. 6: 3 and Ps. 90: 10. The for- 
mer promising a life of one hundred and twenty 
years and the other a life of only seventy. A 
satisfactory solution of this apparent difficulty is 
found in the fact that Gen. 6: 3 has specific refer- 
ence to the generation immediately preceding the 
flood, whose probation was to continue for just 
that length of time. It was just one hundred and 
twenty years from the time that God revealed 
his purpose unto Noah, until the destruction of 
that generation. Hence this text is purely of a 
local character, and refers to that period alone. 



139, The Fear of Man was 1o be upon EVERY BEAST— 

The fear of you and the dread of you shall be on every beast of the 
earth.— Gen. 9; 2. 

The Fear of Man is 2TOT upon the ZIOX.—A lion turncth not 
away for any.— -Prov. 30: 30. 

There are but few things better calculated to 
try the patience of the honest investigator than 
objections to God's Word like the one given 
above, for every principle of honor and candor is 
here grossly violated. In quoting Prov. 30: 30 
the skeptic has wUfvUy omitted the explanatory 
passage — wc say wilfully because the design is 



130 THE BIBLE ItR It MIRIAM 1 , 

so evident that we eannot impute it to ignorance, 
JPlease read the whole verse. " A lion which is 
strongest among beasts and tnrnetli not away for 
liny. Hence we learn the true idea of the text, 
i. e., that the lion tnrneth not away for any least. 
But we find in the above proposition that the ex- 
planatory clause is left out without even the sign 
of omission, and we ask our readers in all candor, 
what must be the character of the cause which 
requires such perversions of God's Word in order 
to sustain it? What claim can a man have to our 
confidence or respect, who thus blasphemes the 
God of the Universe by wilfully perverting His 
Words ? 



i.40, Miracles a Proof of Divine Mission. — Now when John 
had heard in the prison the works of Christ, he sent two of his dis- 
ciples, and said unto him, Art thou he that should come, or do 
we look for another ? Jesus answered and said unto them. Go and 
show John again those things which yo do hear and see; the blind 
receive their sight, and the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, and 
the deaf hear, the dead are raised.— Matt. 11: 2-5. Rabbi, we know 
that thou art a teacher come from God; for no man can do these 
miracles that thou doest except God be with him.— John 3: 2. And 
Israel saw that great work which the Lord doneupon the Egyptians: 
fend the people feared the Lord and believed the Lord and his ser- 
vant Moses.— Ex. 14: 31. 

idl. Miracles NOT a Proof of Divine Mlssiom—And. Aaron 
cast down his rod before Pharaoh, and before his servants and it be- 
came a serpent. Then Pharaoh also called the Wise men and the 
sorcerers: now the magicians of Egypt, they also did in like nimnier 
with their enchantments, for they cast down every man his rod, and 
they became serpents. — Ex. 7:10-12. If there arise among you a 
prophet, or a dreamer of dreams, andgiveth thee a sign or a wonder* 
and the sign or the wonder come to pass wherein he spake unto 
thee, saying, Let us go after other gods which thou hast not known, 
and let us serve them, thou shaltnot hearken unto the words of that 
prophet or that dreamer of dreams.— Deut. 13: 1-3. If I by Beelze- 
bub deist oitt dtvils % by whom do your sons ca3t them out ?-Luke 6: 10* 

In relation to Ex. 7: 10, 12 it seems only nee-* 
essary to remark that as Egypt was remarkably 



THE BIBLE TRIUMPHANT. 131 

addicted to magic, sorcery, (fee, it was necessary 
that God should permit Pharaoh's wise men to 
act to the utmost of their skill. They were allow- 
ed to imitate the work of God, that his superiority 
might be clearly seen, and the credibility of his 
servants established beyond a doubt, and this was 
fully done when "Aaron's rod swallowed up their 
fork." Why did not the infidel quote this portion 
of the Divine testimony also ! Evidently because 
this would have paralyzed the idea which he was 
endeavoring to convey. 

Dent. 13; 1, 3 is a warning against false pro- 
phets and dreamers, or those who pretend that 
they hare received supernatural instruction in 
their night visions ; hence the text has no bearing 
whatever upon miracles, 

The next text is a misquotation ; it is found in 
Matt. 12: 27 instead of Luke 6: 19. Dr. Clarke 
remark's upon this subject as follows: 

Children or sons of the prophets, mean the 
disciples of the prophets ; and the children or 
sons of the Pharisees, disciples of the Pharisees, 
From Acts 19: 13, 14, it is evident there were 
exorcists among the Jews, and from our Lord's 
saying here it is also evident, that the disciples of 
the Pharisees did cast out demons, or at least 
those vjho educated them, wishes to have it believed 
that they had such a power. Our Lord's argu- 
ment here is extremely conclusive; if the man 
who cast out demons, proves himself thereby to 
be in league with, and influenced by Satan, then 
your disciples, and you who taught them, are all 
of you in league with the Devil ; you must either 
give up your assertion, that I cast demons by Be- 
elzebub, or else admit this conclusion, in its fullest 
force and latitude, that ye are all children of the 
devil, and leagued with him against God. 

In order to be a proof of a divine mission, a mir- 
acle must have the approval of the Deity, and no 



i32 the BiBL£ mmmtLAm* 

miracle will be approved of Ilim, wliicli does not 
recognize Him as its Author, 



142. Moses Was a Very MJSJEK Man.— Kow, the man Moses, 

was very meek, above all the men upon the face of the earth,— 
Num. 12: 3. 

3H£ose$ Was a Very CRTTJSXi Man. — And Moses said unto thenn 

Have ye saved all the women alive? Now, therefore, kill every 

toale among the little ones, and kill every woman that hath known a 
dan.— Num. 31: 15, 17. 

Truly " Moses was very meek, above all the 
men that were upon the face of the earth. He 
was a humble and faithful servant of the Most 
High, and as such he executed the commands of 
Jehovah. In relation to the Midianites, it is only 
necessary to state that God himself commanded 
their extirmination. Ifoses was not the cause of 
it. He only executed the commands of God, and 
was accountable to Him alone. Hence, the part 
that he bore in the matter has no bearing upon 
his character, and although he may have been un- 
willing to inflict pain or death upon the criminals, 
he could but vindicate the justice of Jehovah in 
the act. Surely, a good reason is given for slay- 
ing the women of Miclian. Please read the 
connection, " And Moses said unto them, Have 
ye saved all the women alive ? Behold these 
caused the children of Israel, through the counsel 
of Balaam, to commit trespass against the Lord, 
in the matter of Peor, and there was a plague 
among the congregation of the Lord." See 
Num. 25: 2. Num. 24: 14. 2 Pet. 2: 15. Kev. 
2: 14. Num. 25: 9. 

In relation to the killing of the male children, 
we will merely remark that it was a thousand 
times better for them, and for the world that they 
should be cut oif in infancy than to grow up in 
rejection of God, and in the wilful idolatry of the 



TttE mmM mmivuAs?* 133 

Miclianites. The skeptic is very sensitive upon 
the subject of God's judgments against the trans- 
gressors of His laws. 

X43, ELT-TAH Went tip to Iteaven,-^And Elijah Went up by a- 
whirlwind into heaven.— 2 Kings 2: 11. 

JSOKJE BZT CHRIST ever Ascended into Heaven.— No man 
hath ascended up to heaven but he that came down from heaven, 
even the Son of Man.— John 3: 13. 

Iii John 3; 13, it is evident that the expression^ 
amend tip to Heaven, signifies to search into and 
to understand the counsel of God, See New- 
come, Raphelms, and Dr. Doddridge, The same 
idea is conveyed in Deut. 30' 12, in the expression 
M Who shall go up for us into Heaven, and bring 
it (the word) unto us, that we may hear it and do 
it?" also, in Rom. 10: 6, " Say not in thine heart 
who shall ascend into Heaven ?" and in Prov. 
30: 4, " Who hath ascended up into Heaven." — 
The statement has no reference to a physical as- 
cension, but obviously refers to that moral excel- 
lence and divine knowledge, possessed alone by 
the Son of God. Hence, the literal ascension of 
Elijah, by no means militates against the state- 
ment of John concerning the Messiah. 

144, All Scripture is Inspired,— All Scripture is given by i'n- 
epiration of God. — 2 Tim. 3: 16. 

Sonic Scripture is XOT Inspired* — But I speak this by permis- 
sion and not by commandment.— 1 Cor. 7; 6. But to the rest speak 
I. not the Lord.— 1 Cor. 7: 12. That which I speak, I speak it not 
after the Lord— 2 Cor. 11: 17. 

In the sentence, "All Scripture is given by 
inspiration of God," it might be well for the infi- 
del to notice that the word " is," was inserted by 
the translators, so that the text by no means spec- 
ifies what Scripture is inspired. The word 
scripture is derived from scribo to write, and 
merely means a writing or anything written. The 



164 THE BIBLE TRIUMPHANT. 

idea of the text under consideration is, that " All 
writing given by inspiration of God is profitable 
for doctrine," <fcc, and certainly never intended 
to convey the idea that all writing is inspired by 
God, but simply that, all writing which is given 
hy inspiration of God, is profitable. 

We have now patiently followed the skeptic 
through his entire series of one hundred aftd fof* 
ty-four propositions, wherein he claims that God'tf 
word contradicts itself; and we find that his last 
objection to the Bible is as groundless as the first^ 
while we have, we trust, fairly and satisfactori- 
ly removed them all. Infidels are often ingenious, 
and they have in many instances, woven an art- 
ful web whereby to cover the truth, which at first 
sight is well calculated to deceive ; but they newer 
have and never can present an objection to God's 
word, which the light of fair and honest investi- 
gation will not quickly dispel. 

In the foregoing propositions we have found 
many texts, in which the apparent obscurity of the 
language, has furnished an opportunity for cavil ; 
and we cannot wonder that a want of harmony is 
supposed to exist between them, by one who has 
never studied God's word, or investigated the plan 
of Jehovah. Other propositions we have found, 
which could only have originated in the grossest 
ignorance, and others still, we regret to say, which 
can but be attributed to vile dishonesty ; for in 
these instances, the Bible has been so me.anly per- 
verted, and every principle of honor and manli- 
ness so shamefully violated, that with all our 
charity, we cannot cover the offence with the 
mantle of ignorance. 

Hence, in looking back over the work we have 
reviewed, we conclude that the skeptic only 
needs more information, and more honesty, to 
make him a rational believer of God's Word. 



APPENDIX. 



It was our original intention to write in con 
nection with the present work a somewhat lengthy 
article on the authenticity of -the Holy Scriptures. 
But our libraries are enriched by so many valua- 
ahle works upon the subject, that any attempt of 
our's would not only appear weak, but superflu- 
ous. So far as labored arguments and eloquent 
appeals are concerned, the christian literature of 
the present day is indeed rich. To those, howev- 
er, who are willing to investigate the claims of 
the Bible, allow us to suggest the most tempting 
field of research that was ever presented to the 
mind of a student. We refer to the study of 
prophecy in connection with the record of the 
Historian. This is a theme which can never be* 
come uninteresting, for the prophecies of the Old 
Testament point to the infallibility of God's Vv r ord 
with mathematical precision ; they present the 
evidences of revelation so clearly, that infidelity 
stands appalled before the rich developments of 
truth. The mighty walls of ancient kingdoms, 
and the magnificent temples of antiquity, are the 
monuments of God's eternal truth. One hundred 
and sixty years before an enemy's foot had ever 
entered Babylon, the complete desolation of the 
Lady of Kingdoms, was foretold by the inspired 
penman. At the time when she was the " glory 
of the Chaldees' excellency" — when her mighty 
walls and brazen gates bade defiance to the united 
armies of the earth — even then the eye of the 



136 the bible f&nntftLkMft 

prophet looked clown through the long fti^les of 
the ages, aiid ill the clear light of inspiration, he 
i'ead even the name of the man before whose 
mandates her glory should fade. So accurate are 
these predictions that the testimony of those who 
witnessed the desolate scene in after centuries, 
appears like a repetition of the words of the 
prophet. 

Read the eloquent descriptions of the overthrow 
of Babylon, as found in the rich language of 
Isaiah, or the mournful wail of Jeremiah ; then 
turn to the classic pages of Xenophon and Herod- 
otus, and they will be found to be but the echos of 
inspiration. 

In reference to the destruction of Jerusalem, 
the testimony of Josephus is a mere commentary 
upon the predictions recorded in Lev. and Dent. 
Read the prophecies concerning Samaria, Am- 
nion, Moab, Iclumea, Tyre, and Egypt. They 
are clothed in the glowing eloquence of Isaiah, 
Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Hosea, Amos, and Micah. — 
The burning w r ords of ancient truth still gleam 
upon the sacred page, and the testimony of hun- 
dreds of modern travelers, confirm their perfect 
accuracy. The pages of the standard works in 
all our libraries, record the literal fulfillment of 
those prophecies which were traced upon the sa- 
cred scroll, in the distant ages of antiquity. Stra- 
bo and Rollin are witnesses for God. Even Gib- 
bon, the highly gifted but infidel Historian, un- 
consciously testifies in every volume, to the truth 
of Divine Revelation. And Voltaire, in the ac- 
count of his extensive travels, is also an unwilling 
witness to the veracity of the sacred writers. — 
But we can only suggest this fascinating theme to 
the student, with the earnest desire that he will 
rive it that attention which it so richly deserves. 

We wish, however, before bidding farewell to 
our readers, to give, from the best authority we 



THE BIBJUK TlttOU'li AXT. la? 

have, some of tlie causes of apparent discrepan- 
cies in the Holy Oracles. We beg leave to intro- 
duce the following thoughts from Dr. Sleigh, 
which we consider valuable to the Bible student: 

Causes op Apparent Discrepancies. — Had 
the writers of the New Testament undertaken, or 
proposed to undertake, to give a full account of 
all the circumstances connected with the birth,, 
life, death, and resurrection of their Divine Mas- 
ter ; and had any one of them foiled in so doing, 
such failure, even in one point, would be fatal to 
the veracity of the narrator, and consequently fa- 
tal, so far as he was concerned, to the truth of 
Christianity. But so far from any one of them 
professing to give a detail of all that related to 
Christ, not one of them professed that he*was even 
writing a common history of Him. And so far 
from their having had any such idea, the Apostles 
in the conclusion of that Gospel, which may be 
considered as having been attested to by them all, 
(when they said of its Author, u This is the dis- 
ciple which testifieth of these things, and wrote 
these things, and WE know that his testimony is 
true*" John 21: 2±,) they figuratively express 
their conviction of the Utile, in proportion to what 
anight have been, recorded ; (ver. 25.) And Luke , 
who has w f ritten more than all of them, says, that 
his gospel related to what Jesus had only began 
to do and teach. Acts 1: 1. The fact is, the gos- 
pels, (as they are called) are only memoirs, com- 
posed of detached narrations of circumstances^ 
put down by the sacred writers, and witnesses, 
just as they appeared to their judgment, of most 
importance. Had these men written in the con- 
trary way; had they agreed verbatim in their his- 
tories of Christ, infidels would immediately cry 
out, "see they wrote in concert ; there was evi~ 
dently a collusion between them — it is all a jolv* 



138 THE BIBLE TRIUMPHANT. 

&c. That such would have been the language of 
infidels is manifest ; for where there is the least 
similarity between the sacred writers, as for in- 
stance in the account given by Matthew and 
Mark of the tig tree, and the destruction of Jeru- 
salem, they immediately shout, u Collusion ! Col- 
lusion !" We maintain, that so far from the Gos- 
pels having in them, any tiling which invalidates 
the veracity of their authors, or proves either craft, 
dishonesty, design, or enthusiasm, that they in- 
eontrovertibly prove the very reverse of each of 
these qualities, exhibiting the very best possible 
test of the truth of human testimony, viz: SuJm 
stantial truth under circumstantial variety." All 
the apparent discrepancies in the Bible, (for rec- 
ollect toe deny that there is a single actual contra- 
diction,) may be (according to Home) referred to 
one or other of the following causes : 

1. To the different sourses whence the inspired 
writers drew their narratives. Thus, while the 
twelve apostles were absent from Christ, some of 
them longer, some shorter, as they went two by two, 
some must have witnessed what others did not, ap.d 
vice versa. 

2. To the different designs which the sacred writers 
had in the composition of their narratives : e. g. the 
ganealogy of Christ given by Matthew and Luke.— 
The former being for the Jews, the latter for the 
Gentiles. 

3. To the liability of the names of persons and 
places changing. 

4. The name of the head of a tribe or nation was 
sometimes given to their posterity : e. g., Edom or 
Esau is put for the Edomites, who were the descends 
ants of Esau. Num. 20: 18. 

5. The same persons or places sometimes had sevr 
eral names : e.g., Esau's wife is called Bashemath in 
Gen. 26: 34 and Adah in Gen. 36: 2. Thus he who 
w&s nominated fpr the apostleship is called Justus, 



THE BIBLE TRIUMPHANT. 139 

Joseph and Barnabas (Acts 1: 25); Joses and Bar- 
nabas are the names of the same apostle. The place 
called Emishphat and Kadesh, Gen. 14: 7. Magdala, 
in Matt. 15: 89, is called Dahnanutha in Mark 8: 10 ; 
and the country of the Gergesenes, in Matt. 8: 28, is 
called in Mark 5: 1, Gadarenes. 

6. To many persons and places having the same 
name, There was one Bethlehem in # the tribe of 
Zebulun (Josh. 19: 15), and another in the tribe of 
Judah. Matt, 2: 0, Luke 2: 4. There were two 
towns called Cana (Josh. 19: 28. John 2: 1) ; several 
Cresareas, several Zechariahs and several Herods. 

7. Things oftentimes related in different order. 

8. Events introduced by anticipation. Creation of 
man (Gen. 1: 27), which, after several other things 
inserted, is related more at large in the creation of 
Adam. Gen, 2: 7, 21, 23. 

9. The sacred writers sometimes speak in general, 
or round numbers We do the same at the present 
day, without the least intention of deception, 

10. Sometimes numbers are exclusive, sometimes 
inclusive. 

11. The writers sometimes quote numbers from 
the Septuagint, and sometimes from the Hebrew 

texts. 

12. Some events are referred to (not as to where,) 
by the sacred writers of the New Testament, which 
are not noticed by the inspired historians of the Old, 
but which nevertheless, might be in other records 
then extant,. 

13. Kings and their sons frequently reigned at the 
game time during the Hebrew monarchy ; hence 
chronological discrepancies. 

14. Sometimes historians adopted different methods 
of computation, assigning different dates to the same 
period; e. g., in Gen. 15: 13 it is announced to Abra- 
ham that his "seed should be a stranger in a land 
that was not theirs, and should serve them, and that 
they should afflict them rora uuxmuo) teaks ;" but in 



140 THE BIBLE TRIUMPHANT. 

Ex. 12: 40. 41 it is said, " They dwelt in Egypt four 
hundred and thiety years." Both are perfectly con- 
sistent ; the apparent contradiction arising from the 
computation being made from two different dates. — 
In Genesis the time is calculated from the date of the 
promise to Abraham of a son ; and in Exodus from 
his departure from "Or of the Chaldees. 

Finally, while we cheerfully admit that there are 
numerous apparent contradictions in the sacred Scrip- 
tures, we positively deny that there is a single posi- 
tive contradiction in the whole Bible. Moreover, we 
assert, that the greater the number of apparent con- 
tradictions, the greater is the proof that it never was 
made up by one man ; that it never was the result of 
collusion ; and finally, that it never was invented by 
any man or men, with a view to deceive mankind. 



INDEX TO SUBJECTS. 



It will be seen that the following index refers to those 
points, which the infidel claims are both affirmed and denied 
in the Sacred Oracles. 

THEOLOG-IOAL DOOTBIUES. 

PROPOSITION. PAGE. 

1 God's Satisfaction Concerning His Work 2 

5 The Dwelling of God in Temples 2 

3 God Dwells in Light and Darkness 6 

4 God is Visible and Invisible 7 

5 God's Ability or Inability to Work without Resting 10 

6 The Omnipresence of Jehovah 10 

7 The Omniscience of God 12 

8 The Omnipotence of Jehovah 12 

9 God is Unchangeable and Changeable 13 

10 The Justice of God 15 

] 1 God the Author of Evil 1G 

12 God Gives or Withholds His Blessing from Sup- 
pliants 17 

13 Can God be Found by Those who Seek Him 18 

14 God is Warlike and Peaceful 18 

15 God is Cruel and Kind, Merciful and Unmerciful 18 

1 6 The Fierceness and Duration of Jehovah's Anger 20 

1 7 Does God Approve of Burnt Offerings 21 

18 God Accepts and Forbids Human Sacrifice 23 

1 9 Does God Tempt Men 24 

20 The Veracity of Jehovah 25 

21 The Destruction of Man for Wiekedness 26 

22 Are God's Attributes Revealed or Hidden 2G 

23 How Many God's Are There 27 



MOBAL PEECEPTS. 

24 Robbery Commanded and Forbidden 30 

25 Lying Approved and Condemned 30 

26 Hatred Sanctioned and Forbidden 32 

27 Killing Commanded and Forbidden 32 

28 Must the Blood-Shodder Die . ~ 33 



142 THE BIBLE TRIUMPHANT. 

PROPOSITION. PAGE. 

29 The Making of Images Commanded and Forbid- 
den 33 

30 Slavery Ordained and Forbidden 34 

31 Improvidence Enjoined and Condemned 37 

32 Anger Approved and Condemned 37 

33 Are Your Good Works to be Seen of Men . . 38 

34 The Judgment of Others Approved and Con- 
demned , 38 

35 Did Christ Teach Physical Resistance .. . 3D 

86 Did Christ Fear Death 40 

37 Public Prayer Sanctioned and Condemned 41 

38 Importunity in Prayer Sanctioned and Condemned 42 
31) Shall Men Wear Long Hair fc . . . . 43 

40 Circumcision Instituted and Condemned 43 

41 The Sabbath Instituted and Repudiated 44 

42 Why was the Sabbath Instituted 45 

43 Shall Work be Done on the Sabbath 45 

44 Was Baptism Commanded 46 

45 Are Animals Allowed for Food 46 

46 Does the Bible Sanction the Taking of Oaths 47 

47 Marriage Approved and Condemned 47 

48 ' Divorce Restricted or Unlimited 48 

49 Adultery Allowed and Forbidden 49 

50 Marriage with a Sister Approved and Condemned 50 

51 Can a Man Many his Brother's Widow 50 

52 Are we Commanded to Hate our Kindred 51 

53 Are Intoxicating Beverages Recommended. 51 

54 Is it our Duty to Always Obey Rulers 52 

55 Woman's Rights Affirmed and Denied 53 

56 To Whom is Obedience Due , 54 

57 Is There an Unpardonable Sin 55 

58 When was Man Created 56 

59 Shall Seed Time and Harvest Cease 56 

60 The Hardening of Pharaoh's Heart. . . , 57 

61 The Death of the Egyptian Cattle 57 

62 Did Moses Fear Pharaoh 58 

63 The Number who Died of the Plague 59 

64 Was John the Baptist, Elias 59 

6^ Who was the Father of Mary's Husband 60 

(yG W r ho was the Father of Selah < 60 

67 How Many Generations from Abraham to David . . 61 

68 How Many Generations from the Babylonish Cap- 
tivity to Christ 62 

69 Was the Infant Christ Taken tnto Egypt 62 

70 Was Christ Tempted in the Wilderness 63 

71 Where did Christ ?reach His First Sermon 65 



THE BIBLE TRIUMPHANT. 143 

PROPOSITION. PAGK. 

72 John was in Prison when Jesus went into Galilee M 

73 The Commission Respecting Staves and Sandals. . (>(> 

74 The Woman of Canaan who Besought Jesus 67 

7r> How Many Blind Men Besought Jesus 68 

76 Was Christ Crucified at the Third or Sixth Hour . . 60 

77 The Thieves Revile Christ 69 

78 Satan Entering into Judas 70 

79 The Suicide of Judas 70 

80 The Purchase of the Potter's Field 7t 

81 Did One or Two Women Come to the Sepulchre 72 

82 How Many Women Came to the Sepulchre 72 

83 The Time of Their Arrival at the Tomb 73 

84 The Position of the Angels at the Sepulchre 74 

85 The Numbev of the Angels at the Sepulchre 75 

8G The Time that Christ was in the Grave 75 

87 The Time When the Holy Ghost was Bestowed. . 77 

88 Where were the Disciples to be Immediately After 
the Resurrection 77 

89 The First Appearance of Jesus to the Eleven 78 

90 Christ Ascended from Mount Olivet and from 
Bethany 78 

91 Did Paul's Attendant's Hear the Miraculous Voice 79 

92 Abraham's Departure for the Promised Land 80 

93 The Two Sons of Abraham 81 

94 What Relation did Keturah bear to Abraham 82 

95 Abraham Became the Father of Children in his 
Old Age 83 

96 Abraham and Jacob Bought Burial Places of 
Hamar 84 

97 Abraham's Reception of the Promised Land 85 

98 The G ant's Slain by Elhanan 87 

99 When did Ahaziah Begin to Reign . . , 88 

100 The Children of Michal, the Daughter of Saul.... 88 

101 Who Tempted David to Number Israel. . , 89 

102 The Number of Fighting Men of Israel and Judah 89 

103 David's Sin in Numbering the People 9L 

104 The Number of Years of Famine, the Penalty of 
David's Sin 92 

105 The Number of Horsemen Captured by David.... 92 

106 The Price of the Threshing Floor David Bought 93 

107 The Duration of David's Throne 94 



SPECTJLATIYB DOGTBI1TES. 

108 Is Christ Equal with God . . 98 

109 Was Jesu3 All-powerful 99 

110 The Law and the Christian Dispensation 99 

111 Was the Mission of Christ Peace or War 10L 

J IS The Reception of Testimony from Man- . . , . 103 



14Jr THE BIBLE TlUlMrilANT. 

PROPOSITION. PACK. 

113 The Truth of Christ's Witness Concerning Himeelf 102 

1 14 Christ Died for His Friends, and also for His Ene- 
mies 103 

115 Was it Lawful for the Jew3 to put Christ to Death 104 
11G The Punishment of Children for the Sins of their 

Parents 104 

117 Justification by Faith and Works 100 

118 Is it Possible to Fall from Grace 107 

1 19 Is any Man Without Sin 100 

120 The Resurrection of the Dead Ill 

121 The Place of Reward and Punishment 112 

122 The Destiny of the Wicked , ,„„„ 113 

123 The Duration of the Earth 115 

124 Shall Evil Happen to the Godly 117 

1 25 Is Prosperity, or Destitution the Lot of the Godly 1 1 8 

126 Is Worldly Prosperity a Blessing or a Curse 119 

127 The Christian Yoke 121 

128 The Fruits of God's Spirit 121 

129 The Longevity of the Wicked , , 122 

130 Is Poverty or Riches a Blessing ,* , 123 

131 Is Wisdom a Source of Enjoyment or Sorrow.. . . 124 

132 Is a Good Name a Blessing or a Curse 124 

133 Laughter Commended or Condemned 125 

134 The rod of Correction a Remedy for Foolishness 126 

135 Answering a Fool According to his Folly..,, ,,. . . , 120 

136 The Desirableness of Temptation 127 

137 The Certainty of Prophecy 128 

138 Man's Longevity ' 129 

139 IstheLion Afraid of Man 129 

140 Miracles a Proof of Divine Mission 130 

341 Miracles Not a Proof of Divine Mission 130 

142 The Meekness of Moses 132 

143 The Ascension of Christ into the Heavenlies 133 

144 The Inspiration of the Scriptures. .,,..,.„,,... 1 33 



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